Homochitto River Festival now seeking sponsors

The Homochitto River Festival — Franklin County’s annual celebration of music, the arts and community that attracts thousands of people — is now just seven weeks away.

Organizers are actively working to prepare for the Saturday, Oct. 22 event that will feature day-long music and entertainment on three main stages scattered throughout the streets of downtown Meadville.

Headlining acts for this year’s program include Shenandoah, Little Texas, Doctor Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster, the Spunk Monkees and Sullivan’s Hollow.

Other activities will include arts and crafts booths, food vendors, a car show, a children’s activity area, a pet parade, the Miss Scenic Rivers Royal International pageant and a 5 kilometer run-bike-kayak race.

“We’re extremely excited about this year’s line-up and for the growth that is planned where the festival in concerned,” Meadville Mayor Lane B. Reed, who actively promotes the event with Franklin County Chamber of Commerce President Brad Jones, said.

The chamber, which organizes the festival, is currently seeking sponsors for this year’s event.

Available sponsorship levels range from as little as $150 up to $5,000-plus, according to a two-page flier produced by the chamber and sent to potential supporters recently.

“Your company can be a part of supporting the premier festival event in Southwest Mississippi,” the announcement read. “We offer several sponsorship levels so businesses of all sizes can take part in the festival.”

Among planned changes for the upcoming event include:

• A new, larger South Stage on Second Street near Sullivan’s Produce and the Wade Creekmore C Spire building.

The East Stage will remain, but will now face south and the West Stage will also remain in its usual spot, but will face east.

The South Stage will be facing north and Walnut Street between Main and Second streets will become home to more street-side vendors.

• Implementation of a $10 spectator admission charge for economic development in the area and to help cover the rising costs of entertainment.

Registration for vendors booth spaces is currently under way with the following fee structure:

• Non-food sites without electricity — $45.

• Non-food sites with electricity — $75.

• Food sites without electricity — $55.

• Food vendors with 110 electrical needs — $65.

• Food vendors with 220 electrical needs — $75.

Booth rental fees are non-refundable with participants asked to maintain and occupy their spaces until at least 5 p.m., the day of the festival.

For details about the festival, contact Rhonda Huff, event coordinator, at 601-384-2262 or email her at homochittoriverfest@gmail.com.
The event is online at www.homochittoriverfestival.org.