Chapel Hill’s historic and well-loved seasonal celebration, Festifall, is returning once again to downtown Chapel Hill, thanks to Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture and a diverse collection of artists and performers, but with a change from the usual: instead of one date for Festifall, there are three.
On Friday, October 15, Saturday October 23 and Saturday October 30, Festifall “Arts Markets & More” will be taking place in three different areas of Franklin street with the intention of “making the event more accessible to participants and more beneficial to downtown businesses,” according to an announcement from the Town of Chapel Hill. The announcement also included a full slate of events for each day:
On Friday, October 15, from 4-8 p.m., Festifall will take place on Henderson Street and feature more than twenty artisans displaying and selling their wares. Additional entertainment for this event includes a team of aerialists performing at Peace & Justice Plaza, the beloved Poetry Fox creating custom poems, local favorite Clark Blomquist playing country and bluegrass, and a local artist creating balanced rock sculptures throughout the evening. Food and drink will be available from the restaurants on and near Henderson Street, including TRU Deli, Imbibe, Linda’s Bar & Grill, Time Out, and Bonchon.
On Saturday, October 23, from 4-8 p.m., Festifall moves to 140 West Plaza with a different assembly of artisans selling wares and more unique entertainment. For this event, Community Arts and Culture is partnering with the Durham-based Living Arts Collective to bring an array of interactive, participatory experiences to the event. Several performers will circulate around the plaza, including a stilt walker, a juggler, and a live painter. There will also be literal dancing in the streets when the Collective stages one of their signature “Dance Waves” on Church Street. Nearby restaurants like Que Chula and Spicy 9 will be open for food and drink.
On Saturday, October 30, from 4-8 pm, Festifall comes back to West Franklin at the parking lot at 427 Franklin Street, next to Lantern restaurant. Along with a fresh collection of artists and craftspeople, a cast of characters from Paperhand Puppets will circulate through the event. Live music will by provided by the innovative chamber ensemble of Catchfire Collective and others. Beer and wine will be available for purchase from Carolina Brewery and nearby restaurants will be offering additional food and drink options.
“We heard from artists that they need more opportunities to show their work and perform,” said Susan Brown, executive director for Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture, in the announcement. “We heard from downtown stakeholders that more activity is needed to make the area vibrant. We heard from the community that they want more arts and cultural activities happening more often.”
During Festifall, the community is encouraged to come out downtown, patronize local business, support local artists, and participate in a street fair focused on new experience and diverse voices. Due to the popularity of the event, parking is expected to be harder to come by than usual (though parkonthehill.com could still be used to find nearby parking for the event) and attendees are encouraged to seek alternative modes of travel, from buses to bikes to carpools and beyond.
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