HubFest seeking support, involvement

If this year's HubFest is to be as successful as the five previous events, it will take a collage of community members working together.

photo HubFest committee members are looking for others to join them in planning the sixth annual free community event. Front row from left are Jason Wolf, Terri Johnson, Jack and Dan Carmichael and Buddy Shirk. Going up the stairs from left are Chris Holley, Annie Maguire, Pat Eaker, Jennifer Dobler, Mical Traynor, Craig Downs and Keith Smartt. Not pictured are Matt Eisched, Jennifer Lawhornt, John Crawford, Paul Foster, Ryan King, Melissa Espy, Patsy and Larry Henry and Jack Benson.

Those interested in helping out are invited to a preliminary planning meeting Feb. 13 at Heritage House.

"It's going to take some dedicated effort, like a good old small town thing," said festival chair Annie Maguire. "When people walk into a town that's all set for a festival, people go, 'Oh, that's nice,' but it takes a lot of work and people to set it up."

Like the effort that will be required on the front end, the result will be a festival reminiscent of a small town fair. Activities like pony rides, arts and crafts creation stations, contests, a parade, games and inflatables and music are planned.

In addition to volunteers, sponsors are also being sought, including a donor to match a $500 donation to secure "one of the best musicians in their genre," said Buddy Shirk, chairman of the entertainment committee.

Any leftover money will go toward improvements at Heritage Park, which will serve as the scene for the festival May 12.

"The original plan was to bring to Heritage Park benches, flagpoles and eventually a big stage with a band shell with permanent seats," Maguire said. "It's time to grab hold of it and make it happen. Think how nice that would be for families. Downtown has a lot of things but ... we really don't have anything like that out here."

To encourage families to come and spend quality time together, the festival is entirely free save for the carnival-like concessions sold by local nonprofit groups.

"It's a family festival and one of the few things in the world that's free," Maguire said.

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