Changes coming for fair parade, music festival, City Council told

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Changes are coming for two of Greencastle's biggest annual summer entertainment events.

Both the annual Putnam County Fair Parade and the annual Greencastle Music Fest are undergoing some adjustments, the Greencastle City Council heard during its recent June meeting.

Representatives of both events were on hand at City Hall to make their requisite annual street closing requests relative to the Friday, July 20 fair parade and Saturday, Aug. 25 music festival. The Council unanimously approved both requests.

The VW Brigade has become a fair parade tradition.

But dialogue for both events provided some news as well.

First, Nancy Michael, who chairs the Fair Parade Committee, announced the theme for the annual event -- "Country Pride, County Wide" -- and also revealed that longtime Greencastle educator Dorothy Brown, honored last month with an honorary degree during the 2018 DePauw University commencement, will be the grand marshal of the parade this year.

"Dorothy's had quite a year," Councilman Mark Hammer noted in praised of the endearing octogenarian.

During her presentation from the City Hall podium, Michael offered a "heads-up" for the Council, explaining that the committee is planning to move the fair parade back to a Sunday event as had been the case from its inception until the relatively recent switch to Friday night.

"The fair has evolved over the last 15 years to such a big event that Friday nights are really busy at the fairgrounds," Michael said, indicating many 4-H'ers were missing out on parade opportunities because they are otherwise busy on the fairgrounds at the same time the parade is traveling its familiar route from the Y intersection at Washington and Wood streets and Indianapolis Road to the square and back again.

"It's a real challenge for our 4-H'ers," the former three-term Greencastle mayor said, "because many of them have to be on the fairgrounds getting their livestock in and everything set up."

Likewise Friday night has been a challenge, Michael said, "for people getting off work, for them to get there to see the parade."

"So next year, we'll be looking to a Sunday, just FYI," Michael told the Council. "We've talked to the Fair Board about it, and they're encouraged."

But this year, it's status quo with the fair parade scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 20. Street closures and detours are to begin at 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. with Washington Street, from Wood Street to Percy Julian Drive, to be closed beginning at 4 p.m. to facilitate lining up the fair parade entrants.

Michael also noted that there will not be a Headley Fun Run preceding the parade this year.

Meanwhile, the ninth annual Greencastle Music Fest will also undergo some changes for its Aug. 25 concert, spokesman Brian Carrington told the City Council.

He was on hand to receive approval for street closures and a noise waiver for the 3-11 p.m. Music Fest that encompasses both the north and east sides of the courthouse square.

The Music Fest will require closing North Indiana Street from Washington Street north to the city parking lot and Franklin Street from Jackson Street (U.S. 231) to the Old National Bank drive-through between midnight Saturday, Aug. 25 and 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26 for proper set-up and clean-up.

"We're excited about our show this year," noted Carrington, son of event founder Gail Smith, who started the event as an anniversary celebration for her Almost Home restaurant. "We've got an improved stage, enhanced sound system and a light show."

He also noted that the popular Louisville Crashers are returning this year, along with an appearance by Greencastle blues legend Tad Robinson and the rock band Ellusion from Terre Haute.

The set-up will be slightly different downtown, Carrington noted, with the stage turned at an angle and pulled back a bit at Franklin and Indiana streets to offer better viewing by crowds along both streets, especially south on Indiana.

"Last year I think we drew 3,000 people," he said of an event that also raised $5,000 for Main Street Greencastle. "It's a great event for the community and we're excited to put it on again."

The Music Fest and its organizers received nothing but encouragement from city officials.

"I want to put a plug in, for those of you who've never been to Music Fest," offered Councilman Dave Murray, who has helped sponsor the return of the Louisville Crashers in the past. "It's quite the scene."

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