By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
FestiVille in Jacksonville is less than a month away and organizers are working to finalize the music headliners. They are also seeking more crafts and merchant vendors.
“We are looking forward to it. It is exciting with new activities and events,” festival organizer Dana Rozenski said.
FestiVille is a two-day family-friendly festival held at Dupree Park on Friday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct.1 Admission and parking are free.
The fun begins on Thurs-day, Sept. 29 with a carnivalamily night with a $20 armband for the rides.
On Friday, Festiville will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The evening will have vendors and entertainment. Bingo games will be free for the public to play for prizes. A new activity for the festival this year is hot air balloon rides.
Entertainment on Friday includes performances by Lighthouse Charter School and Arkansas Platinum Diamondettes dance group.
Movies in the park will happen at 7 p.m. with the showing of “Zootopia.”
On Saturday Festiville continues from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Arkansas Street Machines will host a car show. There will be a 5K run, a volleyball tournament, a climbing rock wall, a children’s area with inflatables, a petting zoo and pony rides and a Senior Centers of Arkansas bean bag baseball tournament.
The park will be smoking with the Grill in the Ville barbecue contest sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network.
Rozenski said they are accepting teams for the barbecue cookoff.
“There will be something for everyone, kids, adults, teens and families,” Rozenski said.
Saturday’s entertainment includes the Community Theater of Jacksonville. Performances by Huff-N-Puff, Dance FX, Limelight Performances Academy, Sharon’s, Miss Teen Greater Jacksonville and Miss Greater Jacksonville, The Jacksonville High School vocal jazz ensemble and the New Livin’ quartet.
Food vendors serving festival goers include Beals BBQ with barbecue sandwiches, dinners, chicken wings, nachos; Boss Hog with barbecue and Kona Ice with sno-cones. Reggae Flavas will be serving Jamaican cuisine; jerk chicken and waffles, gumbo and desserts.
W and M Concession will feature fried fair food favorites from funnel cakes to cheese sticks, corn dogs and nachos.
