Area residents may be wondering why downtown Tryon is decorated with neck ties lining Trade Street. The town is preparing for its ninth annual April Fool’s festival, which includes a parade, outhouse race, a Mad Hatter’s Up-cycle hat contest (a runway show of hats made of recycled materials) and new this year is a scavenger hunt as well as other activities, food, beer and wine. The festival will be on Saturday, April 5 and begins with the parade at 11 a.m. (photo by Leah Justice).