BUCKHANNON – Festival Fridays will make its return June 2, and vendors are encouraged to apply to participate in the weekly music, food and artisan extravaganza.
Create Buckhannon President and Founding Member CJ Rylands said the group has almost all the bands booked for the 2023 festivities, and Create members are happy to see new vendors applying to set up.
“We’ve given up two of our Fridays – one to the BBQ Bash and one for WAMSB – but we have some new vendors, and we’re open to vendor applications now, and of course the improvements over there at the Madison Street, the old Chase Bank drive-thru lot, is coming along. We’re pouring concrete and trying to get that ready, so it should be better than ever,” Rylands said.
Vendors interested in applying can find the link on Create Buckhannon’s Facebook page or by emailing create.buckhannon@gmail.com.
“The July 4 Festival Friday is the biggest one; we have more people, more vendors and the excitement for the fireworks and all that,” Rylands said. “We always hope to see more and new vendors, and we’re just looking forward to it.”
Rylands said Create Buckhannon hopes these events give everyone in the community a chance to interact with one another, listen to some music and support local vendors.
“Our underlying intention is to create an opportunity for people to come and share our public space, meet people and talk face-to-face,” Rylands said. “The strength of any community is directly proportional to the strength of the connection between its citizens, and our intention is to create opportunities for us to strengthen those connections with each other.”
Throughout the summer, Festival Fridays opening bands will play from 5 to 6 p.m., with headliners performing from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Below is the Festival Fridays Music schedule for summer 2023:
June 2 – Top Shelf: Variety/Rock
June 9 – Nic of Tyme: Old School Rock
June 16 – W.Va. BBQ Bash event: Events in Jawbone Park
June 23 – Soda Pop Gypsies: Top 40/Variety
June 30 – Stonestreet: Variety
July 7 – Back in the Day: Oldies/50s and 60s
July 14 – Full Cirkle: Classic Vinyl
July 21 – 2023 World Association of Marching Show Bands Championship: Events in Jawbone Park
July 28 – Independent State: Appalachian Soul Rebel Roots
Aug. 4 – Stone Creek: 80s/Rock/Country
Aug. 11 – Wilma Cutlip + Sundance/ Classic Rock/Country/Blues
Aug. 18 – Juice Newsome and the Groove: Funk/Groove/Dance
Aug. 25 – TBD
