he 23rd annual Market Street Festival in downtown Columbus will take place this weekend.
Starting Friday, residents and Columbus visitors can enjoy live music, vendors and other entertainment downtown for the annual festival. Hosted by Main Street Columbus, the festival occurs every first weekend of May.
“It’s a big weekend for Columbus,” said event chair Amber Brislin, adding the festival will see several new entertainment and features that haven’t been a part of the event in years past.
The event kicks off with a concert at the Columbus Riverwalk, with the MS Lions All State Band at 6 p.m. followed by A1A, the official and original Jimmy Buffet Tribute Show at 8 p.m.
The fun continues the next day with a 5K at 8 a.m. at the Columbus Riverwalk. (Registration for the event starts at 7 a.m.) Throughout the day, festival attendees can enjoy arts and crafts vendors, food, live music and activities from a car show and car giveaway to a Children’s Performance Area from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Brislin noted a new Children’s Area off Main Street where the Gilmer Inn used to be and a Voice of Market Street talent show, both new additions this year. The activity area includes different games and entertainments for kids at varying costs, some of which are free.
“All of the new activities will be in the new activity area,” Brislin said. “…Everything from Laser Tag to bumper paddle boats to a game called Alien Invasion.”
Tickets to get into the activity area are $1.
The Voice of Market Street, on the other hand, is a competition for locals who submitted videos of themselves singing. Friends, family and others can vote for their favorite singers in the days leading up to the festival on the Voice of Market Street Facebook page. The performers with the most votes will perform at the festival.
Main Street Columbus director Barbara Bigelow invited locals to attend, adding it’s also a good time to support downtown businesses.
“It gets better every year,” she said. “I think we have a bigger crowd every year. … Come on out and enjoy the fun.”
Street Closings
Streets downtown will begin closing 6 a.m. Friday. Main Street, from Third to Sixth streets, will stay closed until noon Sunday. Fifth Street will remain open to north/south traffic until 3 p.m. Friday.
Other streets that close at 3 p.m. include: Fifth Street, from Second Avenue North to Third Avenue South; College Street, from Third Street South to Seventh Street South; Main Street, from Third to Seventh streets; Sixth Street South, from the post office to Third Avenue South (post office traffic only); Fourth Street South, from Main Street to Third Avenue South; and Fourth Street North, between Main Street and Second Avenue North. Third Street South will be one way, going south, from Main Street to Third Avenue South.
Third Avenue South will remain open to through traffic, a change from past years during Market Street Festival.
The following parking lots must be vacated by 3 p.m. Friday: The parking lot behind J. Broussard’s, the parking lot behind Catfish Alley, the parking lot behind the U.S. Post Office (not the small post office parking lot) and the gravel parking lot at Riverwalk Park.
For parents and guardians picking up children from First United Methodist Daycare can use the the College Street and Seventh Street South entrance. Police will be manning the entrance insuring only those who identify as guardians will be allowed to enter.
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