Amber Albritton
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The 40th Annual Down Home Days celebration is only three days away and despite the exasperating effects of COVID, this year promises to be bigger and better than ever.
The festivities will begin with the 30th Annual Dog Show, sponsored by Madison Veterinary Clinic's Grooming Department on Thursday, April 22, at the Four Freedoms Park Gazebo. Does your furry friend have what it takes to win Best in Show? All dogs participating need to be fully vaccinated and will need to maintained on a leash at all times. Registration for this event begins at 5:30 p.m. with the main event beginning at 6 p.m.
On Friday, April 23, the fun continues with a pie bake off sponsored by Grumpy's Diner. Are you a talented baker who wants to show off their baking skills? If so, bake your favorite pie and hand deliver it to Grumpy's Diner no later than 6 p.m. on Friday, April 23. Entry fees are $10 per pie. Judges will select a winner based on taste and presentation. Slices of your pies will be served to customers during Down Home Days.
The day we've all been waiting for arrives on Saturday, April 24, with the Champion Fitness 80’s Themed Fun Run kicking off at 8 a.m. Rock your favorite running shoes while you run one mile from Champion Fitness to Downtown Madison. Registration is $25 and will begin at 7 a.m. on the day of the event, and will start promptly at 8 a.m.
Vendor booths will begin opening at 9 a.m., around the Four Freedoms Park and down Range Avenue. Due to safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, there will be no Down Home Days parade this year. Other notable activities during the festival will include an antique car show, sponsored by the Madison County Community Bank, Flag Dance Performance by Greenville Elementary School, Jail and Bail sponsored by Greene Publishing, Inc., A Pickle Ball Tournament, at Madison RV and Gold Resort, as well as homemade craft booths and food vendors.
At 10 a.m. students from Becky's Dance Steps Studio will present a well-rehearsed dance recital on Pinckney Street. on the south side of the courthouse. Beginning at 11 a.m., festival attendees can strut over to the corner of Pickney and Range for the foot powered Box Car Strut, sponsored by Main Street Realty. Judges will be looking for “most creative” and “best built.” Entry fee for this event is $25 per cardboard vehicle. One can't forget the highly-anticipated Annual Frog Hop, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. There will be three divisions of competition, children's division: toddler through K-4; junior division: K-5 through third grade; and senior division: fourth grade and up. There are no entry fees for this event, please arrive 30 minutes early to register your frog. At 3 p.m., Top Tier K-9 will be holding a dog demonstration in the Four Freedoms Park near the Gazebo. An all day Corn Hole Tournament, hosted by Madison Youth Soccer will be located at 173 N.E. Range St. (next to Royal Restorations). A kid's team of two is $10 to enter, and an adult team of two is $20.