Madison Street Festival planning escalates for community’s largest celebration

Riding on a vintage fire truck, a boy throws candy to spectators during the parade at the Madison Street Festival. The 2014 festival will be held Oct. 4. (PHOTO / CLICK PHOTO DESIGNS)

MADISON – Planning, scheduling and work for this year’s Madison Street Festival (MSF), the community’s largest annual celebration, started in early 2014 and is accelerating to guarantee a fun day for children, families, clubs and visitors.

Only three months away, the 2014 festival date is Oct. 4. Always on the first Saturday in October, the festival is held in the downtown historic district.

The festival committee “is a family of folks working hard for a full year to bring one outstanding day for all to Madison. In the process, we help some other Madison organizations,” festival president Debbie Overcash said.

At its June 12 meeting, the MSF committee chairpersons gave updates on the latest progress. Committees are devoted to the parade, arts and crafts, juried art, local entertainment, children’s activities, concessions, logistics and sponsorships.

“I still don’t think people have any idea how much it takes to plan this,” publicist Sharon Holcombe said.

“The festival is completely dependent — 100 percent — on the generosity of our sponsors and partners,” Overcash said. “We don’t receive any funding, other than our sponsorships.”

For three years, Sally Warden has served as chairperson for sponsorships. For information about open sponsorship needs, email to warden@knology.net. Most 2013 sponsors again are assisting, along with a few new benefactors.

“Money generated form Madison Street Festival goes back to the community as grants,” Overcash said. “For 2013, the festival was thrilled to present grants to James Clemens High School Theatre, $1,000; Madison Public Library, $1,000; Madison Young Marines, $1,500; and Rainbow Elementary School’s Multicultural Fair and Spring Forward program, $600 each.

In addition, the festival annually gives $1,000 scholarships to a senior at both Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools who will attend technical or trade school.

As Madison’s population grows, festival attendance reciprocates. According to the Madison Police Department, approximately 20,000 visitors attended the 2013 festival, leading the committee to increase insurance coverage and find new parking areas, including Crosspointe Church at 719 Hughes Road.

The committee has an opening for webmaster. To volunteer, email to president@madisonstreetfestival.org.

The festival is free and runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit madisonstreetfestival.org.