MT. VERNON - Spring has barely sprung, but the Mt. Vernon Fall Fest committee is well into planning the new festival for October.
"We had about 25 people attend our first planning meeting," said Mt. Vernon Fest Executive Director Bonnie Jerdon. "It was very encouraging."
The Mt. Vernon Fest will be held Oct. 19 through 21, and has obtained its non-profit status. The board for the fest include Chairman Todd Piper, Jerdon, Cyndy Mitchell, Vice Chairman Hank Villani, Chris Collins, Derrick Quitsch, Diane Morris, Debbie Greene, Wes Plummer, Dante Moore and Marcus Holland. There are still seats available on the board as well. In addition, more community members have stepped forward to help with planning of the event, working in the marketing committee, entertainment committee, operations committee and vendor committee. Piper, Jerdon and Villani sit on all committees.
Preliminary plans are calling for live entertainment on the main stage, a beer tent and carnival on Friday, Oct. 19; live entertainment on the main stage, a beer tent, vendors marketplace, chili cookoff, parade, kid's area, carnival, the DMDC car show and the Fall Fest Run on Saturday, Oct. 20.
"This year we are planning events on Sunday for the first time," Jerdon added. Events planned at this time are live entertainment on the main stage, vendors marketplace, kid's area and carnival.
"We're moving things back to the Ninth Street corridor," Jerdon said. "DMDC has also decided to hold their car show during the festival along that area. Having the events along Ninth Street seems to work our best and it's what our participants want."
"We are proposing to change the parade route," Jerdon said. "The parade would start at the library, go up Main Street, turn on 10th Street and go south to Jordan Street and back up towards the high school."
In addition, the main stage and reviewing stand would be at the intersection of Jordan and Ninth streets.
"That's where the bands and entertainment will be," Jerdon said. "We've done the parade the same route for many, many years. We want to change it a bit."
Anyone who would like to learn more about the fest and volunteer opportunities may contact Jerdon at 242-3151 or by email at tourism@mvn.net. - http://goo.gl/ctyDE
