Ole Brook weekend is coming up

Published 2:02 pm Thursday, October 3, 2013

More than 200 craft, food and entertainment vendors, plus a classic car show will set up in historic downtown Brookhaven over the next few days in preparation for the Ole Brook Festival that will run Friday and Saturday.

The head of the festival committee, chamber marketing director Kay Burton said there are a few new attractions this year – Extreme Games, which includes a zip line that will fly riders from one end of the festival to the other, a four-station bungee jump and a batting cage. The classic car show is returning after several years off the schedule.

The festival will take up two blocks downtown with dozens of arts and crafts booths running along South Whitworth Avenue, from Chickasaw Street to Monticello Street, and along Cherokee Street, plus lots of family entertainment and food vendors along Railroad Avenue.

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Beginning Thursday night the two parking lots between Whitworth and Railroad will be closed to begin staging the venue for a food court, dining tent and preparations for vendors that will begin arriving Friday evening.

Burton said food vendors are coming in early Friday morning and will be set up for lunch on Friday, “so anyone interested should come downtown and get something for lunch.”

Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., many vendors will already be in business for the vendor preview and an early chance to go shopping.

Those who want to join Mississippi Girls for a Cure in their 5K walk to help raise breast cancer awareness can register at 7 a.m. Saturday, or they can register ahead of time with Margarette Roberson, (601)695-3392, or Olivia Wallace at (601) 754-9991. Runners will have two water booths along the route. The entry fee is $25 and goes to fund research for the cure of breast cancer.

Returning this year are the giant inflatable slides, trampolines and obstacle course. There will be separate jumpers for smaller kids in the Kids Toddler Zone. There will also be a kiddie train making the rounds of the festival.

The mechanical bull is back, plus a sound stage nearby where several acts are scheduled to play and dance beginning Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with Dixieland Cloggers, then Studio Brookhaven, Mississippi School of Arts Dance Co., country girl duet HanaLena, the MSA Musical Theatre Talent Showcase, MSA gospel group Total Praize and the a’ cappella gospel group Soul Fire.

At 2 p.m. Saturday the classic car show will have an awards ceremony and announce five Best of Show award winners.

Street closings will be as follows:

• Whitworth Avenue will close at 5:30 p.m. Friday till 5 p.m. on Saturday, from Monticello to Chickasaw Street.

• Cherokee Street from South Jackson Avenue to Railroad Avenue will be closed from 5:30 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday.

• Railroad Avenue, from Monticello Street to Chickasaw Street will be closed from 7 a.m. Saturday till 5 p.m.

• Cherokee Street from Railroad Avenue to First Street will be closed from 7 a.m. Saturday from 7 a.m. till 5 p.m.