Ironwood Market: Art on the Tracks returns Saturday in downtown McComb, featuring art, music, food and a 10K run.
The event runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday on Railroad Boulevard.
Registration for the 10K run and a 5K walk will go from 7 to 7:30 a.m. at the Depot Pavilion. The run will end at the McComb Fire Station on Third Street. The walk ends at the pavilion.
The run and walk are the newest addition to the festival.
Event planner Meredith Singley said the idea was spawned by the Crescent City Classic, a 10K run in New Orleans that takes place every Easter weekend.
“We decided to bring the run here,” she said. “It’s going to be McComb’s own Crescent City Classic.
“We’re hoping with the run and walk, it’ll bring in some patrons to the festival who normally would not attend. Focusing on McComb and supporting McComb businesses is the biggest thing. There’s always a lot of talk about supporting Pike County, but not so much about supporting McComb.”
Registration for the race is free, but donations are encouraged. The McComb Main Street Association will receive 25 percent of the proceeds, with the other 75 percent going to various charities.
After the race, the star attraction — the art — takes center stage. This year’s festival will feature regional juried artists and their work, including pottery, fiber art, jewelry, brass, hand-chopped bowls, paintings, drawings and other pieces.
Event organizer Edie Varnado said the artists hail from Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia, and many showcased their wares at last year’s festival.
“I was very, very pleased with the turnout last year,” she said. “One of the most gratifying things, the artists felt so welcome in McComb that almost all of them are coming this year.”
Varnado added that she was very pleased with the last year’s turnout and is looking for bigger crowds and continued growth this year.
“My mission is to see this become one of the premier fine art events in the Southeast, and there’s no better place than McComb,” Varnado said.
The free festival also will feature a bevy of regional musicians and culinary offerings from local restaurants.
Singer Mark Roemer will perform at 10:30 a.m., and in between acts. The Fugitive Poets, a Baton Rouge-based bluegrass group, will play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Singer Jodi James will follow them and play until 3. And from 3 to 5, jazz funk group Open Source will perform.
On the food front, Parker Voss of The Caboose, Steve Dantin of Stevie D’s will serve their wares, as will Buddy’s and La Mariposa.
For this year’s festival, the McComb city board approved the public consumption of beer at the festival.
But alcohol consumption will be restricted at the playground at the intersection of Canal Street and Railroad Boulevard.
“McComb is a city with very art-aware citizens that travel a lot and go to festivals in different parts of the country,” Varnado said.
