Mount Airy festival returns to Main Street May 17, 18

The street festival features food and craft vendors, games and live entertainment.

What started as a flower mart many years ago after the success of the town’s Fall Festival has evolved into a community showcase with something for everyone, organizers said.

This year’s festival returns with familiar booths from years past “with some new twists,“ said organizer Ben Gue.

Arts and craft vendors will have unique items for sale, including furniture, pottery, jewelry and quilts, and the Mount Airy Lions Club will sell tickets for prizes to be drawn in June. The Mount Airy Senior Center will sell tickets for its quilt raffle that will be held May 18.

The event includes a children’s play park with a rock climbing wall, obstacle course, giant slide, face painting, temporary tattoos, games and other new activities, and Mount Airy Girl Scout Troop 1260 will have its flower pot painting booth.

Some of the regular booths may be in new locations due to the presence of trailers housing businesses displaced during a fire last fall. Organizers had to get creative in rearranging spots, said Gue, adding there would be about the same number of booths as in the past.

The entertainment schedule for May 17 on the south end stage includes a karate demonstration by Choe’s Hapkido Academy of Mount Airy at 11:30 a.m., and from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. the Caballero Brothers Band will play. DJ Bobby D. will perform from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the north end stage and the Shining Stars School of Performing Arts at 12:30 p.m.

On May 18, Michael Cavalier will sing from 1 to 5 p.m. on the south stage, with a break at 3 p.m. for a karate demonstration by Strive Karate Martial Arts, and on the north stage, Scott Barret will sing from noon to 1 p.m.; Peat and Barley, from 1:20 to 2:20 p.m.; Darryl Brenzel Trio, from 2:40 to 3:40 p.m.; and Bendt Fendyr, from 4 to 5 p.m.

Sunday will also include a spaghetti-eating contest at 2 p.m. and Steve Melvin, The Singing School Bus Driver, will perform center stage from 2 to 4 p.m.

Organizer Ricky Lawson said this year’s May Fest won’t stray far from its floral roots. “We have good flower vendors this year.“

Home-based businesses will also be promoting their services.

“It makes a good mix; everything blends on the street,“ Gue said, adding that there will be more small businesses this year, representing everything from carpet cleaning to car detailing. “It’s surprising how many small businesses are in the area. You really don’t have to leave Mount Airy.“

The May Fest will be held on Main Street between Hood Street and Prospect Road and the area will be blocked off to vehicle traffic.

Free parking and shuttle service will be available at the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company’s activity grounds at the corner of Twin Arch Road and Route 27 during festival hours. Shuttle buses will run approximately every 10 minutes.