Daylong music festival and fireworks show to be held April 13 in Downtown Sanford
FACT: If your headliner band is called “Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band,” it’s going to be a fun time.
The Asheville funk rockers will close out the annual Downtown Sanford StreetFest and Fireworks show on April 13, a daylong celebration of downtown’s recent revitalization. Last year’s StreetFest — which featured Chapel Hill’s own Southern Culture on the Skids and ended with a 20-minute fireworks display — drew thousands for a day of music, food trucks, vendors, games and more.
The Big Fat Booty Band formed in Boone in 2002 and has since shared the stage with funk legends Parliament Funkadelic, Galactic, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins and have performed in some of the country’s largest music festivals. The band’s most recent album, “Funk Life,” was released in 2015.
Local favorite Nakia Latrelle will take the stage to open the festival at 1 p.m. on April 13, followed by Big Bump & The Stun Gunz and Cory Leutjen & The Traveling Blues Band. The Booty Band will bring its “intergalactic funk” starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be a second stage all day with a live DJ and a showcase of local talent.
Downtown streets will close early on April 13 for The Salvation Army’s Kettle Krush 5K Fun Run. Steele, Carthage, Moore and Wicker streets will remain closed all day. Downtown restaurants will be open all day and feature StreetFest specials. Food trucks will be set up around downtown for lunch and dinner, including Mr. Mongolian, Kat-n-Around Authentic German Food, Tacos Las Gringas, Will and Pops, Baton Rouge Cuisine, NC Wings & Things, Hibachi Xpress, Tacos El Primo, Kono Pizza, The Dream Cream and Kona Ice.
The festival’s Fun Zone will be located on Carthage Street with a game truck, inflatables and face painting. Several demonstrations are scheduled throughout the day, including a martial arts display by Black Belt Leadership Academy and a salsa dancing demonstration by Sanford Latin Dance. There will also be kid-friendly activities at many of the vendor booths.
As the live music winds down, festival goers will head to Depot Park for a dance party before the fireworks show.
StreetFest is sponsored by Central Carolina Hospital, the Visit Sanford Tourism Development Authority and local businesses and nonprofits. To join the festival as a sponsor, entertainer or volunteer, contact Jennifer St. Clair at (919) 718-4659 x 1400. Stay updated at www.sanfordstreetfest.com or join the Downtown StreetFest & Fireworks event on Facebook.
No local music or Thursday Depot Park music events this year?