Franklin’s Main Street Festival is this weekend and it features over 200 artisans & crafters, three stages, two carnivals and an international food court. Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning the festivities will end at 07:00 p.m. om Saturday, start back up at noon on Sunday and end at 06:00.
The Franklin main street festival is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors over the weekend, and they will experience original oil and watercolor paintings, pottery, jewelry, furniture, woodworking, ornamental iron, stained glass, photography, home and garden accents, birdhouses, leatherwork, and many other handcrafted wares. In addition to a juried arts and crafts show with more than 200 entries, 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 three stages—the First Tennessee Stage on the Public Square, the Heritage Stage on Fourth Avenue North and the Beer/Wine Garden Stage on Fourth Avenue South.
Three food areas offer a tasty variety of everything from roast corn on the cob and stuffed baked potatoes, Polish sausage, Greek gyros, and Asian and Mexican cuisines. Southern fare includes barbeque, burgers and hotdogs, smoked turkey legs, funnel cakes, kettle corn and more.
There will also be a full-scale, traditional carnival at North Margin Street and Second Avenue North–the site of the future City of Franklin Bicentennial Park. The carnival opens earlier than the festival on Thursday and goes through Sunday.
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, April 28 through May 1. Thursday nights and all day Sunday are “wristband” days at the carnival, during which a $20 wristband offers unlimited access to the rides.
Three stages at the festival offer continuous free entertainment.
(times subject to change)
Saturday, April 30
Heritage Stage
4th Avenue North
10:15 – 11:15 a.m. Jerry Vinett Dixieland
11:30 – 12:00 p.m. Moore Elementary School
12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Oak View Elementary School
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. John England & the Western Swingers
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Tommy Jackson’s Rocky Top Revue
3:30 – 4:45 p.m. Leiper’s Fork Bluegrass
5:15 – 6:30 p.m. Jessica Miller
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. The Double Intenders
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. The Blues Other Brothers – a fun show and free street dance for all ages.
Beer/Wine Garden Stage
4th Avenue South
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Steel Grooves Steel Drum Band
1:30 – 3:15 p.m. Brea Lawrenson of Franklin’s Sister City, Carleton Place, Canada
3:45 – 5:30 p.m. The Boomers
6:00 – 7:45 p.m. 4 Gone
8:15 – 10:00 p.m. The Fabulous Suedes – Street dance for ages 21+
First Tennessee Stage
At City Hall on the Public Square
9:40 – 9:50 a.m. Jerry Vinett Dixieland
9:50 – 10:00 a.m. Opening Ceremonies and Ribbon cutting
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Ann Carroll School of Dance
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Dance with Tracy
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. O’Brien School of Irish Dance
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Franklin School of Performing Arts
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Williamson County Community Band
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. Carolyn Martin – 2010 Western Swing Vocalist of the Year!
Sunday, May 1
Heritage Stage – 4th Ave. N.
12:00 – 1:15 p.m. Cole Phillips & Redemption Road
1:45 – 2:45 p.m. Walter Egan & the Walternative Band
3:15 – 4:15 p.m. Nash Street
4:45 – 5:45 p.m. Amanda Nagurney
Sunday, May 1
Beer/Wine Garden Stage
4th Avenue South
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Boomerang
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Big Pink
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Bicho Brothers
Sunday, May 1
First Tennessee Stage
City Hall
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Trademark
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Kristen Butke School of Irish Dance
3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Rocky Top Revue
4:30 – 5:45 p.m. The Secret Commonwealth
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.
The Main Street Festival is located in Historic Downtown Franklin, Tenn., exit No. 65 from I-65, three miles west to the Public Square.
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Hi Larry! Not only do you live in a beautiful, historic area but, you guys have lots of exciting activities too! Great information here and I hope the Franklin Main Street Festival was a huge success!