Food, music, fun May 17-18

MAGNOLIA DAYS

COLUMBUS -- Excitement

is again brewing in Columbus as the Chamber of Commerce finalizes preparations for

the 2019 Magnolia Days Festival. Happening on the Courthouse Square on Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18, the Magnolia Days Festival will be two days of fun for the entire family including delicious food, a Biergarten featuring Texas craft beers and local wines, a Family Fun Zone with activities for both the young and “young at heart” such as a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce houses, bungee trampoline, miniature train ride, and carnival games. Horse and carriage rides will available both nights. Add in a fantastic lineup of free concerts to keep festival goers dancing in the streets and the Magnolia Days Festival has something for everyone to enjoy!

The Festival will also feature approximately 50 vendors offering a variety of arts, crafts, jewelry, candles, clothing, soaps, and other items for sale. Food trucks and food vendors will offer a variety of treats for guests to enjoy, including burgers, crawfish (while supplies last), street tacos and egg rolls, boudin balls, authentic Spanish food, loaded potato fries, shaved ice, Frito pies, hot dogs, ice cream, Shrimp po boys, tamales, fruit cups, kettle corn, cold brewed coffee and more.

There will be live concerts Friday evening and Saturday beginning at Noon, featuring Kyle Park, Zack Walther Band, Courtney Patton, Black Cat Choir, Jon Stork, Shiner Hobo Band, Darrel Appelt, Victor Rodriguez and other great artists including adorable little Sakura Guerrero Martinez, who wowed the crowd at Columbus Elementary Schools talent contest this year. All concerts are free to the

public.

Adults will enjoy the Biergarten, sponsored by FSC, Inc. offering much-loved canned domestic beers and unique Texas craft beers on tap. Texas wines will also be available in the wine garden.

Originally known as the Magnolia Homes Tour, the festival was first launched in 1962 as a tour of local historic homes and blossomed in the 70’s into a full-blown festival, which was held annually for more than four decades. Dormant for nearly ten years, the Chamber of Commerce revived the event in 2016. Last year the Chamber estimates that more than 3,300 people attended over the course of the two-day event. This year, with the help of presenting sponsors, Todd and Morgan Bar-ten, the Chamber promises it will be bigger and better than ever.

True to its roots, in conjunction with the Columbus Historic Preservation Trust (CHPT), the Festival will conduct tours of eight or more historic properties on Saturday afternoon from 2-5 p.m., hosted by the Magnolia Belles, a group of high school seniors who are active in community service and have undergone extensive docent training. The annual ‘Presentation of the Belles,’ where the young ladies dress in Victorian-era dresses, has been a tradition in Columbus for 56 years and will be held on both Friday night in the Stafford Opera House and on Saturday afternoon on the Courthouse Square. The Belles are ambassadors of goodwill for both CHPT and the City of Columbus.

New this year will be a juried art show and a car show, both on Saturday.

The Chamber is grateful to the many individuals and companies who are sponsoring the event, including.

“The festival is truly a community event. We rely on grants, donations, sponsorships and volunteers to make it a success,” said Billy Kahn, executive director of the Chamber. “We haven’t quite reached our goal yet, so we’d appreciate a few more donations. Every little bit helps.”

More Magnolia Days Festival information is available at www.magnoliadays.org. The fun begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 17 and again at 12 Noon on Saturday, May 18.