Thousands flock downtown for Madison Street Festival
MADISON – The Madison Street Festival brought thousands of people to the city’s historic downtown area on Saturday. The streets were filled early with people looking for some festival fun before the mid-day heat set in, and they were not disappointed.
Festival committee president Gayle Milam promised a day filled with plenty to do and, as usual, the team of volunteers delivered on that promise.
It all started with the annual parade celebrating Madison’s 150th birthday. Organizations, businesses, the marching bands from James Clemens and Bob Jones, dancers, politicians and an assortment of fun parade entries, made their way through the cheering crowds from Mill Road to Front Street.
The rest of the festival was filled annual attractions like the children’s area, the teen zone, Artist Alley, Crafters Cove, Student Art Tent, two entertainment stages, a community showcase stage, an antique car show, information booths highlighting area services and businesses, and plenty of food trucks and vendors.
“It has been a lot of fun,” said Kevin Johnson, who was enjoying the festival with his wife Kayle and children, Chandler, 3, and Christian, 1. “We’ve had a great time. There was so much to see and do.”
Chick-fil-A took another stab at breaking the world’s record for the most people dressed as a cow in one place. People dressed as cows gathered in the Teen Zone area for a quick photo opportunity.
Madison Chick-fil-A spokesperson, Katie Bentley, said it would about two weeks before they know if the attempt was successful.
After the festival, the MSF Committee accepts applications for grants that divide any funds collected at the festival, minus expenses, to help area organizations, school groups and non-profits.
