By Josh Bergeron
josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — Crowds of people are expected in downtown on Friday and Saturday as Farmers Day returns for another year.

China Grove’s 2017 Farmers Day celebration officially kicks off Friday night and continues through Saturday.

On Friday, the town of China Grove will have a kickoff party in Hanna Park that will include the Bout Tyme Band playing a show on a newly built stage. Also on Friday, A Cheerwine tent will be stationed downtown and businesses will be open, said China Grove event coordinator Patti Price. On Saturday, food, vendors, various activities, music and other entertainment will be placed along a stretch of Main Street in downtown China Grove.

Fireworks will shoot off above downtown China Grove at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Price said the section of Main Street to be used for Farmers Day — Main Street from Church Street to Patterson Street — will be closed at about 6 p.m. on Friday afternoon. The street will reopen on Sunday morning. One notable change, Price said, is that there will only be one stage at Farmers Day this year instead of two. That stage will be in Hanna Park.

Price said there will be entertainment in Hanna Park all day long.

The Little Mr. and Miss Farmers Day contest will be at 9:30 a.m. The YMCA will raffle off a car at 5:45 p.m. Triple Threat Dance Studio is scheduled to performed at 6 p.m. Southern Breeze Band is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. The street dance will be from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The band Outshyne is the main act, and it will play from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

After Outshyne, there will be fireworks in downtown China Grove.

Craft vendors participating in Farmers Day will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and close up at about 4 p.m. Food vendors are scheduled to open at 9 a.m. and close at about 9:30 p.m.

Price said the following will be among the various attractions on Main Street: Chad Gainey, a chainsaw carver; antique tractors; a milking booth, a stagecoach built in the late 1800s and a person making balloon animals.

A “kids zone” will be placed on Swink Street, close to the police station. That area will include: bounce houses, a velcro wall, obstacle courses, rock climbing and an activity called airborne adventure.

Bathrooms will be placed at multiple locations along Main Street.

Misting tents will be located at Main Street’s intersection with Park and Centerview streets.

A cellphone charging station will be located along Main Street, too.

The China Grove Roller Mill will be open. Fresh produce will be for sale on the grounds of the Roller Mill, Price said.

Some of the food vendors will include: Italian ice, cheesecake, cotton candy, candy apples, roasted nuts, funnel cake, deep-fried Oreos, kettle corn and a food stand known as the Hungarian Sausage King.

There will be a total of 130 vendor booths this year.

The following will not be allowed at Farmers Day: animals, coolers, skateboards, bicycles, radios, rollerblades and solicitation.

For more information, search for China Grove Farmers Day on Facebook or call China Grove Town Hall at 704-857-2466

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.