This year, the planners of Haymarket Day expect it to be better than ever with an emphasis on music, ethnic cuisine and the largest Haymarket Day parade yet.
While Haymarket Day is an all-day event, Kennedy Ingalls suggests coming early to catch the parade this year.
“The parade starts at 9:30 a.m. It is the largest parade in Haymarket Day history. Get there early, bring chairs and grab a good seat on the road!” she said.
The rest of the day, residents and visitors are invited to roam around Washington Street as though they were attending a music festival, because musical performances will take center stage this year.
“We have four stages with music and performances,” Kennedy Ingalls said.
Deja Brew is hosting a stage Guiseppi’s Italian restaurant, featuring local talent. The Beer Garden stage features Virginia Blend from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then Livin' the Dream from 3-6 p.m.
Grace Church of Gainesville sponsored a stage by El Vanquero West which will be featuring performances by church groups, and the local talent stage at the Hannover property will feature local demos playing all day long.
Kennedy Ingalls also expects attendees will be excited about the food, “the most variety of food” they have every offered before.
Moving beyond corndogs and pizza, this year’s Haymarket Day offers a selection of American, Asian, Ethiopian, Turkish, Italian, German, Mexican, country style, Cajun, BBQ and seafood, as well as “plenty of 'sweet' vendors for ice cream, sno cones, fried dough, funnel cake and more!” Kennedy Ingalls said.
Vendor participation has also increased this year with plenty of new vendors. While Haymarket Day is always a great opportunity for local businesses to promote themselves, with the festival growing in size, Kennedy Ingalls said they have vendors this year coming from “as far south as South Carolina and as far north as New York.”
Last year the Haymarket Day saw roughly 25,000 people, but this year, organizers are expecting a bigger crowd, saying it tends to grow every year.
However, she had a difficult time saying what the best part of Haymarket Day has been for people.
“That’s a tough one so many things! People really seem to like the streets being shut down and walking through the town. They see a different view of Haymarket when they can walk through and visit,” Kennedy Ingalls said.
Of course, “kids' areas and the Beer Garden are always a hit,” she said.
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