Thomson to throw downtown festival

The Camellia City will play host to the Festival Off Main Street this year, according to Thomson-McDuffie Chamber of Commerce officials.

The Dec. 6 event - which will be in the city's downtown historical district along Railroad Street - will offer many activities for the entire family, including a 5K run/walk, an antique mall, exhibits showcasing local artists and local vendors, lots of food and local music.

Chamber of Commerce Director Carolyn Gilbert is excited about the potential the festival brings to Thomson.

"This will be a community project, and we hope this will be a one year thing that we can build on" she said. "We're probably the only town around that does not have a festival, and for some reason, we haven't had one. We have a Dinner by the Tracks, Beach Blast, and the Christmas Parade, but we needed something that would bring all the community together."

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Officials planned the festival for the day before the annual Christmas Parade, in hopes of attracting a substantial weekend crowd.

"I think it's going to be good because there will already be people in town for the Christmas Parade, and everybody can come to the festival, and then the next day is the parade," said festival committee member Brad Adams.

Mary Anne Coussons, president of the Chamber of Commerce, says the festival is being developed not just by chamber members - the entire community is needed to make the event a success.

"Anyone that breathes is going to be a part of this festival," she said. "This is going to be a joint community project."

Coussons also said that since the date for the festival was set formally last week, 10 of the 20 vendor booths have been reserved. She hopes that a good selection local artists, crafters, and antique dealers will be a part of the festival.

The event will kick off with a 5k run/walk that Adams thinks will bring a lot of people out to see what Thomson and McDuffie County have to offer.

"It just seems like something that would fit in nicely with the festival," he said. "It's the best time of the year to run. It is going to be a competitive run, but we're going to put the more serious runners up front so they don't have to put up with the pack. We're going to put recreational walkers behind them, the walkers behind them, and then people with baby strollers behind them. We want to get all facets of people that look to be exercising."

For more information on the Festival Off Main Street, contact the Thomson-McDuffie Chamber of Commerce at 597-1000.