Thousands are expected to turn out for the annual Market Street Festival in downtown Columbus this weekend.
Two hundred and twenty arts and crafts vendors and 20 food vendors will line streets Saturday in a festival which grows every year, according to Main Street Columbus director Barbara Bigelow and Market Street Festival coordinator Amber Brislin.
Bigelow and Brislin estimated that about 60 percent of the vendors are returning vendors from previous years.
The annual festival is attended not only by locals but people from around the state and the country, Bigelow said. Around 40,000 people have attended in years past, Brislin said, and she thinks the number will be higher this year.
The festival will open at 6 p.m. Friday when four food vendors will open by the Riverwalk. A Mardi Gras-style parade will begin the festivities, followed by two New Orleans bands’ performances at the Columbus Riverwalk — the Big Fun Brass Band at 7 p.m. and Rockin Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters at 9 p.m.
Saturday events will begin with a 5K run at the Columbus Riverwalk beginning at 8 a.m. On site registration will begin at 7 a.m.
Other events include a car and motorcycle show, multiple music performances and more. Downtown merchants will also be open, many of them having sales for the festival.
“It’s a wonderful family event,” Bigelow said. “It has such a variety. There’s something for everyone.”
“It’s really a time when we can showcase what happens when so many volunteers and musicians and artists come together to make one of the biggest weekends in Columbus happen,” Brislin added. “It truly takes an army.”
Street closings
Certain streets will close Friday and Saturday in preparation for Market Street Festival.
Cars not removed from the following streets by the closing times will be towed at the owners’ expense according to a release from Main Street Columbus.
The following streets will close at 6 a.m. on Friday: Main Street between 6th Street and 5th Street; Main Street between 5th Street and 3rd Street. Fourth Street will be closed to through traffic.
The following streets will close at 3 p.m. on Friday: 5th Street between 2nd Avenue North and 3rd Avenue South; College Street between 3rd Street South and 7th Street South; Main Street between 3rd Street and 7th Street; 3rd Avenue South between 3rd Street and 7th Street; 6th Street South past the post office to 3rd Avenue South; 4th Street South between Main Street and 3rd Avenue South; 4th Street North between Main Street and 2nd Avenue North; 3rd Street South from Main Street to 3rd Avenue South will be one way going south.
College and 7th Street South will serve as a special entrance for parents picking up children from First United Methodist Daycare. Parents picking up students from St. Paul’s Episcopal School will use 3rd Avenue South and 3rd Street South. Police will not allow drivers who are not picking up students to enter these special entrances.
The parking lot behind J. Broussards, the lot beside Catfish Alley, the lot behind the post office and the gravel parking lot at Riverwalk Park will also be closed.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.