Food, flowers and fun at 30th Forsythia Festival

The 2017 Forsythia Festival, happening this weekend in downtown Forsyth, is bringing back several family favorites and introducing a few new events to help mark its 30th anniversary.

One of the favorite returning events is the cornhole tournament.

“We are bringing back the Forsythia Tailgate Toss after taking last year off,” said Kari Buckindail, program coordinator for Forsyth-Monroe Chamber of Commerce. “For those who don’t remember, it’s a cornhole tournament. We have new regulation boards and bags. This will be an American Cornhole Organization sanctioned event. The winner of the tournament will win $100 and entry for a five-person team into the American Cornhole Organization World Slyder Cup VII Tournament.

The Tailgate Toss will start at noon Saturday in the Persons Banking Company parking lot. There will be last minute registration, but only until the event reaches 32 teams. Registration is $25 per two-person team.

Another favorite event returning to the festival this year is the Forsythia 5K, which will be held Saturday morning.

“We want people to have a great time and since this is the 30th anniversary of the festival, we wanted to make it big,” Buckindail said. Runners should gather at FitCo Healthclub at 7 a.m. Saturday. Entry is $25.

There are several new events, too. Perhaps the most exciting of which is the Forsythia Food Truck Frenzy. Vendors will include the Tempted Palate and Rio’s Italian Ice, among others.

“There will be food trucks, inflatables and a lot of fun on Friday from 4-8 p.m. in the Ingram lot,” Buckindail said. “Come hungry and with money for the food. There will be no fee for the inflatables.”

Saturday and Sunday, parents can enjoy an arts and crafts fair, while the kids wear themselves out at the Kid’s Corner.

“We have a little something for everyone,” Buckindail said. “The Kid’s Corner will be one price for all of the inflatables. There are some new inflatables, too. This is a great way for parents to burn off their kids’ energy. People will want to stop and see the arts and crafts. Also, don’t forget to check out the festival food. And of course, don’t forget about the entertainment. We will have local talent all weekend.”

Faith Fest, which is a faith-based singing competition, will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday night at First Baptist Church.

“That’s a great event for the whole family. Local talent will compete for the top prize of $300 in the adult category and $200 for the top youth winner,” she said. “Afterward, we will have a wonderful performance by the Voices of Hope Choir and if you haven’t seen them perform, it’s worth a trip to Forsyth for sure.”

This story was originally published March 9, 2017 at 6:57 AM with the headline "Food, flowers and fun at 30th Forsythia Festival."