Dayton Prepares For High Turnout With Return Of Redbud Festival
April 22, 2022
SEEING RED
Dayton Prepares For High Turnout With Return Of Redbud Festival
Last year, an annual festival happened without its star attraction.
The annual Dayton Redbud Festival, known for giving out saplings of the trees named for their springtime blooms, happened in June last year, after the saplings were available.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the festival happened later in the year and was missing the saplings, which are usually distributed for free by the hundreds, said Meggie Roche, economic development coordinator for the town.
“It’s a tiny, tiny little sapling,” Roche said. “You can pick them up at the town info booth, which will be at Dove Park. We’re also going to try to get them to some businesses around town.”
In 2020, the festival was canceled altogether. Roche said the town is getting ready for 5,000 or 6,000 visitors for the festival this year.
“We had a good crowd [in 2021], not what we generally have as far as crowds go,” said Cary Jackson, mayor of Dayton. “This year, two years removed from 2020, we’re expecting to have a normal event.”
The festival -- known as the smaller “cousin” of Dayton Days, an annual autumn festival that draws tens of thousands -- is back on time this year, slated for this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown.
“It’s still kind of an old-fashioned [event],” said Diane Roll, owner of the Dayton Tavern. “It’s not as overwhelming as Dayton Days.”
The festival, which focuses on arts and crafts, will feature over 75 vendors and a number of food trucks along College Street, according to the event website. Shopping and dining will also be available at Dayton’s numerous restaurants and shops, including the Dayton Tavern, a cozy restaurant in a historic building that offers American fare, brunch and hand-cut steaks.
“We will be open. We’re open for folks that need to come in and cool off, have a beverage. The tavern faces Main Street but the parking lot is on College Street,” Roll said.
On the north end of the street, a beer garden and live music will take place at the town’s idyllic Dove Park, which features the College Street Pavilion, an open-air performance spot.
Children’s activities, including rubber ducky races, a bounce house, balloon animals, face painting and more will be set up Cooks Creek Park, which is accessed from Bowman Road, according to the website.
At nearby Rocktown History, also known as the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society, the annual antique car cruise-in will take place in the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the website said.
Other activities include free carriage rides and pony and barrel train rides for the kids, the website said. Parking will be available at Wilbur S. Pence Middle School and the Koogler field. Updates will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.
Turnout for the recent Easter egg hunt in Dayton topped 200 kids — a record number, said Jackson, who said he’s hoping for a good turnout at the upcoming festival.
“This year’s Christmas parade was also the biggest turnout we’ve ever had, so people are looking to get back to some sense of normalcy. I think as long as we have good weather — which we’re scheduled to have — I think it’ll be a great turnout,” Jackson said.
Dayton Prepares For High Turnout With Return Of Redbud Festival
- By JILLIAN LYNCH Daily News-Record
- Apr 19, 2022
The annual Dayton Redbud Festival, known for giving out saplings of the trees named for their springtime blooms, happened in June last year, after the saplings were available.
Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, the festival happened later in the year and was missing the saplings, which are usually distributed for free by the hundreds, said Meggie Roche, economic development coordinator for the town.
“It’s a tiny, tiny little sapling,” Roche said. “You can pick them up at the town info booth, which will be at Dove Park. We’re also going to try to get them to some businesses around town.”
In 2020, the festival was canceled altogether. Roche said the town is getting ready for 5,000 or 6,000 visitors for the festival this year.
“We had a good crowd [in 2021], not what we generally have as far as crowds go,” said Cary Jackson, mayor of Dayton. “This year, two years removed from 2020, we’re expecting to have a normal event.”
The festival -- known as the smaller “cousin” of Dayton Days, an annual autumn festival that draws tens of thousands -- is back on time this year, slated for this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown.
“It’s still kind of an old-fashioned [event],” said Diane Roll, owner of the Dayton Tavern. “It’s not as overwhelming as Dayton Days.”
The festival, which focuses on arts and crafts, will feature over 75 vendors and a number of food trucks along College Street, according to the event website. Shopping and dining will also be available at Dayton’s numerous restaurants and shops, including the Dayton Tavern, a cozy restaurant in a historic building that offers American fare, brunch and hand-cut steaks.
“We will be open. We’re open for folks that need to come in and cool off, have a beverage. The tavern faces Main Street but the parking lot is on College Street,” Roll said.
On the north end of the street, a beer garden and live music will take place at the town’s idyllic Dove Park, which features the College Street Pavilion, an open-air performance spot.
Children’s activities, including rubber ducky races, a bounce house, balloon animals, face painting and more will be set up Cooks Creek Park, which is accessed from Bowman Road, according to the website.
At nearby Rocktown History, also known as the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society, the annual antique car cruise-in will take place in the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the website said.
Other activities include free carriage rides and pony and barrel train rides for the kids, the website said. Parking will be available at Wilbur S. Pence Middle School and the Koogler field. Updates will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.
Turnout for the recent Easter egg hunt in Dayton topped 200 kids — a record number, said Jackson, who said he’s hoping for a good turnout at the upcoming festival.
“This year’s Christmas parade was also the biggest turnout we’ve ever had, so people are looking to get back to some sense of normalcy. I think as long as we have good weather — which we’re scheduled to have — I think it’ll be a great turnout,” Jackson said.
