Spring is back, and so is the Heritage Foundation’s Main Street Festival, presented by First Tennessee. The free popular spring celebration returns April 23-24, 2016, to downtown Franklin and is expected to draw a crowd of about 120,000 to historic Main Street for a fun-filled weekend of music, arts and crafts, food, and children’s activities (Third Avenue South will offer a kids’ zone with inflatables, train and pony rides, a petting zoo and other activities for a small fee.) The centerpiece of Main Street Festival is the juried arts and crafts show featuring more than 150 artisans and crafters with handmade wares.
“We’re very excited to present the 33rd annual Main Street Festival,” said Heritage Foundation Executive Director Mary Pearce. “Main Street Festival is one of Franklin’s favorite spring traditions and we’re thrilled to showcase our beautiful historic district and Main Street. We are so grateful to First Tennessee for their longstanding support of Main Street Festival. We would not be able to produce free street festivals in Franklin without the generous support of our sponsors.”
Live Music
This year, live music will take place on two stages: The XFINITY Stage on the Public Square and The Guitar Center Stage on the corner of First Avenue and Main Street. Franklin’s own Daphne and the Mystery Machines will headline a Saturday night performance on the Guitar Center Stage at 7 p.m. A lucky attendee will have a chance to win a $150 gift card to Guitar Center at the performance. Visit www.Facebook.com/ HistoricFranklin to enter this contest.
New
New to 2016, Centricity Music and WAY-FM will feature artists JJ Weeks and David Dunn leading worship for the first ever “Worship on the Square.” This event begins at 10:45 a.m. Sunday on the XFINITY Stage at the Public Square.
The King Arthur Bake Truck will make an appearance this year next to the XFINITY Stage at the Public Square handing out homemade cookies and collecting donations for the Heritage Foundation. “Who doesn’t love a chocolate chip cookie?” asked Pearce. “What better way to contribute to our organization than with the incentive of a fresh baked cookie in return?”
Food
No street festival is complete without food. This year, more than 25 vendors will offer an international assortment of food including original corn roast, barbeque, Greek food, Mexican cuisine, Italian ice and old fashioned soda located at two food courts on Third Avenue North and Fourth Avenue South. A French food truck and grass-fed organic food truck will join the lineup for the first time this year. And as always, kettle corn, hot dogs, and funnel cakes will be offered. Also, a beer garden located down Fourth Avenue South will feature a variety of beer and wine selections.
Parking
Offsite parking will be available at Church of the City and Harlinsdale Farm on Saturday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and at Franklin High School and Harlinsdale Farm on Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Shuttles will service each location for $1 each way/ each person.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County and its division, the Downtown Franklin Association, and their missions, respectively: to protect and preserve the architectural, geographical and cultural heritage of Franklin and Williamson County, and to promote the ongoing economic revitalization of Downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation.
Festival Hours
Main Street Festival activities will run Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Sunday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
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