LABA makes final preparations for Hogback Mountain Day

LANDRUM — It was all about the Hogback Mountain Day during the August Landrum Area Business Association meeting Tuesday. The festival is scheduled for September 8 and planners say it will be full of fun for everyone.

Heidi Henry said they have 42 vendors signed up and are expecting many more. Henry is helping with vendor registration and scheduling. “The bath and body products and jewelry booths are full,” she said. “We’d like to increase the number of painters and artists.”

The festival is accepting up cycled handcrafted artists, quilters, vintage antiques and other high quality, handmade items. Vendors must be juried in.

Responding to questions from those attending the meeting, Henry said they are open to accepting local artists such as wood and metal smiths. “We have someone who is doing tie-dyed clothing,” she said. “We also have a bonsai tree seller. We though that would be something a little different.”

LABA members get first choice on spaces and a discount on the vendors’ fee. Most of the booths will be set up along North Trade Avenue and will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festival will tie into the farmers market, which starts at 8 a.m. on North Trade Avenue near the depot. Music at the Track begins at 7 p.m. and fireworks will start at dusk.

At 6 p.m. The Well is sponsoring free hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks. The city of Landrum is sponsoring free rides for the kids.

“A lot of people in this community don’t get to go to amusement parks like Carowinds,” said Robert Farmer with The Well Church. “It’s amazing to see those kids faces when they get a free hot dog or ice cream.”

LABA President, Diana Winkler, said they are getting signs, banners and flyers printed and thanked Claytons Ink for giving the LABA a discount on the printing. Winkler also said they have scheduled a Blue Grass band to play during the day and are looking for pickers to play at different locations throughout town.

LABA Secretary, Ellen Henderson, said they still need volunteers to pass out flyers, to help assist the vendors first thing Saturday morning and volunteers to help with information to visitors during the day. “We need volunteers in two hour blocks, so if you have a couple of hours you can help, please let us know,” she said.

Winkler said First Citizens Bank has donated toward fireworks display for Saturday night. “We still need more donations for the fireworks,” she said.

Henderson announced that, since it was rained out on the July date, the Airing of the Quilts would be taking place on the rain date, August 18, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The meeting wrapped up with some discussion about parking for the festival and Landrum City Administrator, Rich Caplan, said that, unlike originally thought, there will be no parking in Landrum for the World Equestrian Games in September.

Anyone interested in volunteering, donating or renting a vendor booth for the festival can find more information on the Hogback Mountain Day Festival Facebook page or contact an LABA member.