Judah Hollly tests out her hula-hooping skills with Chattahoopers, a hula-hoop troop participating in a past Mainx24 competition.For area residents looking for something novel and interesting to do at nearly any time Saturday, MainX24, the 24-hour block party on and around Main Street, is the place to be. This annual celebration, now in its sixth year, may not challenge Mardi Gras in the ranks of urban festivals, but it’s such a fine, fun, interesting and diverse city festival that it surely will snag your heart in one way or another.
Indeed, it’s a virtual kaleidoscope of activities and cacophony of sounds. You get your Firehall No. 1 pancake breakfast, your Stroller Strutt at 9 a.m., your dog parade Mutt Strutt at 10 a.m., the Awesomest Parade Ever at 11 a.m., the adult Big Wheel Race beginning at 1 p.m. (which overlaps with the Mocs on Main scavenger hunt), a musicians’ Busking Competition, and the Wall Ball.
This hardly scratches the surface of the 107-event festival. It draws musicians, artists, dancers, SEC football die-hards, families, kids, hipsters, elders, cyclists, carpenters, and fans of beer and/or Santa Claus to a multitude of fun events.
The creative assembly of novel activities just spills off the menu. There’s the “soul, sumo and tiki” venue (combining a soul band, sumo wrestling and island beverages), kids face-painting, a talent show, a square dance, several pre-main parties, the King of the Southside Battle of the Bands, the popular Mainx24 Fashion Show at the Choo-Choo, a Hair Party, Chattanooga Dance Projects, and the 7-to-midnight Paris Themed Costume Party, which will seriously compete with The Main Event from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Track 29 music hall, where the Dirty Guv’nahs and Black Cadillac will be featured.
Then come the after-hour events that continue through the night and conclude with Sunday morning’s Grand Breakfast Finale and Hair of the Dog yoga for hangovers.