Main Street Festival
Franklin’s 25th annual Main Street Festival brings more than 200 artisans &
crafters, four stages, two carnivals and two food courts to the historic Public Square and
Downtown District April 2627,
2008. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, with the Fourth
Avenue Street Dance continuing until 10 p.m., and all activities reopening
noon to 6 p.m.
Sunday. Arts and crafts booths line Main Street from First to Fifth Avenue.
Presented by major underwriter First Tennessee and produced by the Heritage Foundation of
Franklin and Williamson County and the Downtown Franklin Association, the weekend event is
expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors to a full slate of familyoriented
activities, nonstop
musical entertainment and international flavors of more than 20 food vendors. Handmade
work to be exhibited includes original oil and watercolor paintings, pottery, jewelry, furniture,
woodworking, ornamental iron, stained glass, photography, home and garden accents,
birdhouses, leatherwork, and much more.
In addition to a juried arts and crafts show, the festival offers a special area of children's
activities on Third Avenue South between City Hall and the Old Courthouse. Free entertainment
is offered continuously on four stages—the First Tennessee Stage on the Public Square, a food
court stage on Third Avenue North, the Main Stage Fourth Avenue North and the Beer/Wine
Garden Stage on Fourth Avenue South. The free "Dancin' in the Street" event is Saturday night
from 7 to 10 p.m. on Fourth Avenue. Three food areas offer a tasty variety of everything from
roast corn on the cob and stuffed baked potatoes, Polish sausage, Greek gyros, Asian and
Mexican cuisine, Southern fare like fried green tomatoes, barbeque, burgers and hotdogs,
cinnamonroasted
nuts, ice cream, smoked turkey legs, funnel cakes, kettle corn, everything
you can possibly fry and more.
There will also be a fullscale,
traditional carnival at Margin Street and Second Avenue Norththe
site of the future City of Franklin Bicentennial Park. The carnival opens earlier than the
festival on Thursday, April 24, and goes through Sunday, April 27. Carnival hours are 5 to 10
p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Thursday
and Sunday are family days with unlimited rides for $20 per person.
The Main Street Festival is produced by The Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson
County and it division, the Downtown Franklin Association. Proceeds from the event are used to
fulfill the mission of the organization, which is to protect and preserve the architectural,
geographic and cultural heritage of Franklin and Williamson County and to promote the ongoing
economic revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation.
In addition to presenting sponsor First Tennessee, supporting sponsors include Burt’s Bees, BP
Oil, Patio Enclosures, Clear Channel Radio, The Tennessean/Williamson A.M., Fox 17, WB58,
MYTV 30, and more.
