Show your civic pride at Madison Street Festival … Volunteer!

Madison Street Festival (MSF) on Oct. 6 offers the perfect chance to help your community.

“The main tasks are helping children with crafts, handing out programs, setting up stages for performers, keeping the festival area clean and free of trash and collecting voting cards for Artist Alley,” volunteer chairperson Misty Merschat said. “This enables us to recruit volunteers of any age and skill level.”

Ten people will line up parade entries at Infinity Skate Park. “The Hospitality Tent has 10 people throughout the day,” Merschat said.

Twelve volunteers will assist with parking at Madison City Schools Stadium. The Information Tent needs the most helpers — 24. The Madison Cafe will use eight people. Other jobs include six greeters; Children’s Area, 16; entertainment stages, four; exhibits/demos, four; four Artist Alley greeters; and trash/recycling, nine.

Before the festival starts, 12 people will monitor traffic and assist vendors. “In the arts and crafts area, we need volunteers to help vendors unload in the morning,” chairperson Brenda Parker said. “First of all, it’s a courtesy. The vendors appreciate having someone help them.”

Volunteers also help MSF committee members, Parker said. “Vendors can unload quicker than if they did it all themselves. They can move their vehicles and get parked quicker.”

“Vehicles must be off downtown streets by 8 a.m. We try to have these vendors set up at different times, according to their location. So, we need volunteers from approximately 6:45 to 8 a.m.,” Parker said.

Between 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., time slots range from two to four hours. Volunteers still have time to enjoy the festival with family and friends.

Civic groups or groups of friends can volunteer together. Several organizations have adopted one area, which will be identified with the group’s name.

Volunteers receive a T-shirt. Students can receive a volunteerism letter for scholarship applications.

In fact, all steering committee members are volunteers, giving “their time and energy to plan the festival. Countless hours of coordination happen behind the scenes year-round to ensure the festival is a success,” Merschat said.

As Madison area residents, committee members “have a vested interest to make sure the festival is enjoyed by all and proceeds are reinvested into the community,” she said.

To volunteer, visit madisonstreetfestival.org and click “Sign Up Now.”