Madison Street Festival to return after two-year hiatus due to COVID-19

MADISON – Crystal McBrayer, President of the Madison Street Festival Committee, is one of those leaders who realizes the importance of each person in an organization.

Because of COVID-19, the festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. “While life has taken us for a ride the last two years, we haven’t stopped planning for a festival. In 2020, we canceled very early but continued to work on policies to ensure a smooth, fun festival,” McBrayer said.

The festival committee then proceeded with planning for 2021 but again had to cancel due to concerns with COVID-19’s variant.

As MSF President, McBrayer sees herself as “helper of all things. I believe in leading by example and being a servant leader. Leadership in its greatest form is built through relationships, collaboration, support, encouragement and strong communication.”

“This festival happens with hard work, sacrifice of time, and talent of people on our committee. They are truly the heroes here,” McBrayer said. “They make me a better person. I can only hope to be the leader they deserve.”

“We’re affectionately calling 2022 our ‘COMEBACK YEAR’ for the 40th festival. This festival is so rich in history and has such a legacy that many people still don’t know about,” McBrayer said.

MSF volunteers are excited to introduce the festival to new, relocated families. “The festival is one big fundraising event with a mission,” she said. This day involves marketing for small businesses, artists exhibiting designs, youth interacting, entertainers sharing talent and food trucks introducing their wares.

“Once that day is over, we take all profits and give back to educational programs through our grant program. Since 2012, we have given back $64,000 in grants,” McBrayer said.

Currently, MSF is a 501(c)4 organization, with an application pending for 501(c)3 status. This transition will be a major accomplishment for MSF’s legacy, McBrayer said.

In 2019, McBrayer started volunteering with MSF as Teen Zone coordinator. However, she has been involved with MSF in other ways: vendor, three years; helping Whistle Stop Sweet Shop; assisting a relative in Artist Alley; and an appreciative visitor.

McBrayer likes the aspect of ‘community’ in Madison. “Madison is big but still feels small. It’s so rich in history,” she said. An “Army brat” who lived in numerous states, she moved here in 1997 with a job transfer to turnaround a failing restaurant. “I never left.”

Her husband Michael works in logistics at Raytheon. Their son Dalton attended Madison schools and graduated in James Clemens High School’s second class.

Few people realize that Crystal is an artist. Having a passion for travel, Crystal has set a goal to visit all 50 states before her fiftieth birthday. “I have 17 more states to go in three short years.”

For more information, email msf.pres@gmail.com or visit madisonstreetfestival.org, Facebook/Madison Street Festival or Instagram @madisonstreetfestival.