Flowertown all about food and fun

Walk through the streets of downtown Summerville this weekend and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells that make up the Flowertown Festival.

Regularly attracting more than 200,000 annually, this three-day fest is all about homemade goods, including arts and crafts, and food items. And it doesn’t end there. Also featuring live music and other performances, the Taste of Summerville, kids’ carnival, company and nonprofit information booths and more, there is something for everyone.

Frequently named one of the Top 20 events in the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society, the festival is celebrating 40 years this year.

“This is the first year we’ve had commemorative merchandise, such as a brass ornament, for people to purchase. We’ve also extended the map an additional block to give more room to vendors,” a representative from the Summerville Family YMCA said. “Really we are just celebrating with the community and the town of Summerville.”

Put on by the Summerville Family YMCA, the Flowertown Festival acts as a fundraiser so that the nonprofit can continue to offer programs at an affordable rate and help families who can’t afford to pay program or membership fees, according to the website.

Vendors

From ceramics to jewelry, metalwork to paintings, photographs to food, booths offering up an array of items will be set up along Main Street and throughout Azalea Park.

More than 200 jury-selected artists from around the nation, all featuring handmade items, will be in attendance, along with a variety of business and civic organizations.

Get a hair cut or a mini massage in the middle of shopping for a new insurance company or landscape architect.

Seriously, if you want it or need it, you can probably find it at Flowertown.

Taste of Summerville

Set up at one end of the festival, the focus is all food.

Full menu items from numerous restaurants will be available for no more than three tickets each, with each ticket costing $1.

Restaurants including Logan’s, Bubba Gump, Wasabi, North Towne, McAlister’s, Our Daily Bread, Sticky Fingers, Tokoso, Gilligan’s, Italian Ice, Chick-fil-A (except on Sunday), Papa Johns and exclusive hamburger vendor Firewater Grill have participated previously. First-time participants are Panera Bread, Mays and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Children’s carnival

For the young and young at heart, the carnival area offers everything you would expect.

With classic rides including a carousel, super slide, mini train, Ferris wheel and a few more modern rides and inflatable attractions, kids of all ages will have fun in this section.

Traditional carnival-style games also will be on site and will offer participants the chance to win prizes and food.

Concession stands offering such fair food as turkey legs, cotton candy and fresh-squeezed lemonade will round out the carnival atmosphere.

Music

Throughout the weekend, artist such as Eddie Bush, Chelsea Summers, Keith Miller and Jean Capicotto will serve up their variety of musical styles.

In addition, the St. Stephen Elementary School Golden Tones, the Rollings Ringers handbell choir, the Joe Pye Elementary School African Drum and Dance Ensemble, and Team Bushido of the Masters Studio of Self-?Defense will perform and put on demonstrations.