Madison Street Festival attendees see good timing
Crowds gathered for the parade that kicked off the 34th Madison Street Festival. Eastview Family Dentistry won first place in the parade. (Record Photos/Nick Sellers)
By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer
MADISON – Two years ago, the Madison Street Festival was rainy and blustery. Those who attended the event a year ago were reminded of the Deep South’s capability to produce sweltering heat whenever it pleases – even in October.
This year’s festival, aided by near-perfect weather and a revamped Main Street area brought about by substantial amounts of construction, saw what many estimate to be a record crowd attend the event that annually celebrates Madison city.
2014’s free event was Madison’s 34th installment of Madison Street Festival, which commenced shortly after 9 a.m. with a parade and ended around 4 p.m.
“This is about perfect,” Madison resident Melinda Knierim. “What a great day for this. It’s beautiful weather.”
Last year’s event brought an estimated 20,000 people; some had this year’s count approaching 30,000.
“We’re running out of fire hats it’s going so well,” said Jeff Birdwell, deputy chief for the Madison Fire Department, at 12:30 p.m. – halfway through the festival.
The booths and vendors, which numbered in the hundreds, served a variety of interests. Car shows, petting zoos, inflatables for the kids and other interactive attractions peppered the entire historic area of Madison.
Per usual, funds gathered during the Festival will be reinvested in the community by way of charitable grants and donations.
A hotbed of activity and interest Saturday, Oct. 4 was the music stage, which was occupied by several different musical acts. The stage was positioned on Main Street, nearly at the intersection of Sullivan Street.
While significant portions of Church Street were closed for the event, Sullivan remained open for traffic – which led to some cars using Main Street as a turnaround, threatening the music stage at times, Public Works employee Butch Conine remarked.
“Other than that, it’s been running really smoothly,” Conine said.
Wayne Kamus, lieutenant with the Madison Police Department, delighted in the amicable weather.
“It went really well; there have been less types of medical issues,” Kamus said. “It’s better than last year.”
Apart from the food trucks – a new feature this year – the Madison Street Festival witnessed the same community spirit and vitality routinely expected of the city.
