Hillyard Festival brings food, music

The Hillyard Festival is expecting between 2,000 and 3,000 people to stop by this weekend.

Focused in Sharpley-Harmon Park on the 6000 block of Market Street, the festival brings food and craft vendors, nonprofit organizations and lots of fun games to Hillyard.

The Saturday morning Hi-Jinx Parade begins at 9:30 a.m., and it’s not too late to sign up.

“People can sign up on the corner of Broad Avenue and Market Street up until right before the parade,” said Luke Tolley, longtime Hillyard neighborhood resident and festival organizer. The parade fee is $10.

In previous years, the parade has been followed by hot rods doing a “reverse” parade run headed south on Market Street while it was already closed for traffic, but this year the cars get to go first.

“They will be sort of a preview of the actual parade,” Tolley said. The car show runs through the afternoon with souped up antique and new cars parked along Hillyard streets.

Saturday’s live music lineup finishes up with headliners Sammy Eubanks and Christy Comrie, who will perform right up until the fireworks.

“We are really excited about having Sammy Eubanks here,” Tolley said, adding that Comrie is an up-and-coming star who will play a set on her own and then join Eubanks.

Tolley said organizers are a little concerned about the weather – forecasts are showing rain and wind both Friday and Saturday – but otherwise happy with how the festival has come together.

Updates to the electrical facilities in the park allow for more food vendors, Tolley said. What’s his favorite?

“A great taco truck – we usually have at least one of those,” Tolley said.