Fall Festival a hit, organizer says
Published 11:44 pm Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Near-perfect weather on Saturday helped cement the success of the weekend’s Fall Festival, according to one planner who helped coordinate the events.
“The weather was great,” Jack Norvell, president of the Downtown Franklin Association, said Tuesday. “People were calling me today to say, ‘We had a wonderful time and we’ll be back again next year.’”
Norvell estimated that nearly 2,400 people attended Friday night’s block party and fireworks, while between 5,000 and 6,000 people walked the downtown streets for Saturday’s festival
Vendors showcasing crafts, food and educational information lined Main Street and other offshoots on Second Avenue. DJ Wayne Cook played tunes and set up two inflatables in a children’s area for children to bounce and climb in, while Pat the Clown stayed busy twisting balloon animals.
People wandered around in summer wear Saturday as sunny skies brought temperatures in the low 80s for the day.
The Fall Festival has been a favorite Franklin event since its inception in 1982. And the Mustang Club of Tidewater has been coming since 1983 for its annual car show there, Norvell said.
Lynn Turner, a retired state trooper, won “Best in Show” for his 1957 Corvette.
Children especially enjoyed seeing the classic autos, Norvell said.
“Kids have never seen cars like this,” he said.