Mathews Market Days opens bright and early this Friday, offering festival-goers two full days of fun, food, entertainment, and arts and crafts for all ages on the Mathews Court Green.
The Market Days Committee will open the festival with a brief welcome at 9 a.m. at the pavilion on Put-In Creek, followed immediately by entertainment that will last throughout each day.
According to festival vice chair Casey Pisarek, 74 vendors will be on hand, 51 with various arts and crafts on the Court Green, 14 providing information along Brickbat Road, and nine offering a variety of foods on Court Street.
“The goal is to find something to do wherever you walk,” said Pisarek.
Vendors will be able to set up their booths from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 7, said Pisarek, and booths will remain in place for two days, closing at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Some food vendors will remain open for the Saturday night street dance.
Children’s area
The Children’s Area will be located in the county parking lot, with Chapman’s Magic inflatables, including a bounce house, a slide, a pirate ship, and more, said Pisarek. Individual tickets will be available, while a $10 wristband gives all-day access. This year, there will be a special foam party each hour on Saturday afternoon, with a foam cannon going off at noon, 1, 2, and 3 p.m.
“Kids will get wet,” she said.
Children will also have a chance to “Paint a Pony” with washable paint and learn about equine assisted therapy with Step Up Into T.L.C. horses from 2-5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Other activities will include cornhole, bubbles, hula hoops, coloring, and more.
Pet parade
The annual pet parade will start with a line-up at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, followed by a brief introduction of pets and a procession through the vendor area around the Historic Court Green. It will end up at the pavilion for a quick photo opportunity.
Costumes are not required for the pet parade, said Pisarek, but are strongly encouraged.
Entertainment
Lined up to perform on the main stage on Friday are gospel singer James Redmond at 9:10 a.m., Robbie Kerns & Friends with acoustic rock and blues at 9:30 a.m., Market Days music coordinator Parke Shelton at 11 a.m., Jonathan Myer at 11:45 a.m., youth talent Cora Rowe at 12:45 p.m., Don DeWolf with eclectic rock at 1:45 p.m., and DJ Dave and Andy with karaoke and a dance party at 3 p.m.
On Saturday, there will be an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. with a performance by the Mathews High School Marching Band and the Mathews High School Cheerleaders, with the flag-raising by American Legion Post 83.
The Pet Parade will be followed by music by vocal student Hannah Symonds at 10 a.m., Lane Rice with country and soul music at 11 a.m. The afternoon will start off with the Court House Players presenting a collection of scenes and songs from the 2023 season at 12:45 p.m., followed by Ashley Wood with southern gospel and country at 1:45 p.m., a performance by students of the Mathews Dance Studio at 2:30 p.m., Mathews youth talent Hunter Owens at 3 p.m., and DJ Dave & Andy with karaoke and dance at 4 p.m.
The Saturday Night Street Dance will be back from 6–9 p.m., featuring The Jason Cale Band with a blend of soulful blues, rock, New Orleans funk, and jazz fusion.
Market Days poster
The Market Days poster, created by Jenny McMurtrie on the theme “Mathews: Pearl of the Chesapeake,” will be available for purchase for $35.
Car show
The annual Classic Car Show is back with prizes this year, offering a Market Days T-shirt and exclusive custom car show water bottle to the top 10 People’s Choice vehicles in the parking lot at Thomas Hunter Middle School.
The cost to enter a vehicle in the Saturday-only show is $10, with proceeds benefitting Mathews First Responders.
Market Days member-at-large Morgan Hudgins Schultz said the committee members “are delighted to host the 48th year of Market Days.”
Although the festival couldn’t be held for a couple of years because of Covid, she said, the work continued and last year “it was great coming back,” while “this year is even better.”