One of Brookhaven’s biggest events of the year is just around the corner. Scheduled for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, this year’s Ole Brook Festival is sure to have something for everyone.

From food and artisan vendors to local entertainment, the staff at the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce is hard at work to make this year’s festival safe and fun for the whole family, Chamber program director Katie Nations said.

“There is literally something for everyone this year,” Nations said. “We will have people selling handmade woodwork. We’ve got handmade duck, turkey calls, swing sets, carving boards. We have lots of fine craftsmen coming.”

In addition to the woodworkers, artists will be set up selling their masterpieces including canvas paintings and yard art, Nations said.

“There will be clothing vendors, jewelry makers and kids’ face painters,” she said. “One unique vendor I’ve seen is a couple who will be doing geode cracking.”

Nations said festivalgoers will be able to buy one of the volcanic rocks and the vendor will crack them open, revealing the crystals inside.

“There’s actually a lot of unique artisans,” she said. “I’ve been impressed with the stuff that’s coming in.”

Along with all of the vendor booths, the festival will feature an array of entertainers. Friday nights entertainment will start at 5 p.m. with Tony Norton, The Cotton-Bridge Band and Rockin’ the Keys dueling pianos and end with Cary Hudson.

“Friday night’s entertainers will play until 10 p.m.,” Nations said. “Food vendors will be open — they can start selling anytime Friday — but all of the other booths cannot sell anything that evening. It still gives people the opportunity to see what will be set up Saturday.”

A 5K Walk/Run to help raise money for MSGirls4acure will kick off the Ole Brook Festival Saturday morning. Registration for the 5K will begin at 7 a.m. Entry fees are $25 for an adult and $12 for children 10 years old and under. The actual run will start at 8:30 a.m. at the main stage.

For more information about the 5K, contact MSGirls4acure member Olivia Wallace at 601-754-9991 or MSGirls4acure@yahoo.com. Registration forms can also be picked up at the Chamber.

Saturday’s entertainment will begin at 9:30 a.m. and run through the festival. It will feature The Micky Man Blues Band, The Hewitt Family Band, Brookhaven Music Rock Academy, musicians from the Mississippi School of the Arts, Mississippi Spirit, the Southern Classic Cloggers and Virgil Brawley.

The Ole Brook Festival Car Show will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nations said. The cars will be located on Railroad Avenue from Cherokee to Monticello streets. Registration is from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the awards presentation will be at 2:30 p.m. at the main stage. Entry fees are $10 per vehicle.

The youth zone will include inflatables as well as extreme games, such as the cliff jump, 28-foot crack and slide, the KAPOW, a tree house, survivor obstacle course, bounce house and Ole Brook Choo Choo train.

The youth zone will cost a flat rate of $10 for a wristband and will include the trackless train. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nations said.

Nations said she is ecstatic to participate in the Ole Brook Festival as a Chamber employee, and is looking forward to getting her hands on a blooming onion.

“I am hoping to bring a great crowd,” she said. “I hope we boost tourism. The festival is geared toward our downtown community, but in reality it boosts the city’s economy as a whole. We appreciate all the sponsors and volunteers that continue to help us put it together. We’re just hoping for great weather to provide the community with a laid back, fun family event.”

For more information about the Ole Brook Festival, contact Nations at 601-833-1411 or katie@brookhavenchamber.com.