Community Corner

Herndon Festival 2012 Brings Carnival, Music and More to Downtown Herndon

Herndon Festival is nearly here and Herndon Patch has the breakdown of what's new and notable at this year's festival.

The 32nd annual Herndon Festival begins Thursday and runs through Sunday in downtown Herndon, bringing with it a carnival, entertainment, food, games, arts and crafts vendors and so much more.

New to Herndon Festival this year is the Kid’s Alley—full of things just for kids, the alley will have the Children’s Hands-On Art Area, interactive activities and roving performers, including Jerry the Stilt Walker, the Unicycle Lady, Gerry Brown the Monkey Man and more. Moose Juice will have frozen drinks on hand in the Kid’s Alley.

On Sunday the Herndon Municipal Center Stage will feature an Americana theme, with broad acts derived from American roots music. Also featured will be Americana vendors offering ice cream, fresh lemonade, a quilt display, a restored 1967 Chevy and more.

Find out what's happening in Herndonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Business Expo will have some exciting things this year, including Flagship Carwash raffling off free car washes for a year, 7/11 giving away free Slurpees, and Del. Tom Rust partnering with the Virginia Department of Treasury’s Unclaimed Property, where you can find out if you have money you didn’t even know about.

Wild Bill’s Soda, celebrating its 10th anniversary, will be back with Herndon Festival keepsake mugs full of ice-cold root beer. Food offerings should please all, with Tarin Thai, Papa John’s Pizza, Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern, Robeks Smoothies, Hard Times Café, Guapo’s and more.

Find out what's happening in Herndonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Council for the Arts of Herndon, Optimist Club of Herndon and Rotary Club of Herndon will all be serving beer and food, while the American Legion Post 184 will have snow cones available.

Volkswagen, the Herndon Festival title sponsor, will bring out mascots from the Washington Wizards, Capitals and players from D.C. United to visit the festival in the early afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. Sponsor Griffin-Owens will have a real racecar on site for festival attendees to see, as well as a racecar simulator they can ride.

The main schedule for Herndon Festival is below, but keep checking back for more Herndon Festival updates and need-to-know information, as well as highlights of the festival. Herndon Patch will be posting photos and video throughout the weekend—feel free to add your own memories to our galleries.  

THURSDAY
• 6-10 p.m. — Carnival rides
• 6-9:30 p.m. — Food vendors
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Sandbar at the Café Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band at the HMC Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Melodime at the Depot Stage
• 9:30 p.m. — Fireworks display 

FRIDAY
• 5-11 p.m. — Carnival rides
• 5-10:30 p.m. — Food vendors
• 6-9 p.m. — Arts and crafts show
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. — Flynn at the Café Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — 42 Coldplay at the HMC Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Trio Caliente and Friends at the Depot Stage 

SATURDAY
• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Business Expo, Kid’s Alley and Children’s Hands-On Art Area, and arts and crafts show with limited booths open until 9 p.m.
• 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. — Food vendors
• 10 a.m.-11 p.m. — Carnival rides
• 10 a.m.-5 p.m. — Family entertainment at the HMC Stage
• 11 a.m.-7:45 p.m. — Entertainment at the Café Stage
• 11 a.m.-7 p.m. — Rising star entertainment at the Depot Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Brass Transit at the HMC Stage
• 7:30-9:30 p.m. — Locksley at the Depot Stage
• 9:30 p.m. — Fireworks display

SUNDAY
• 7:30 a.m. — Herndon Festival 10K/5K Run and Fitness Expo
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m. — Business Expo
• 11 a.m.-6 p.m. — Food vendors, arts and crafts show
• 11 a.m.-7 p.m. — Carnival rides
• 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. — Children’s Hands-On Art Area
• 11 a.m.-5 p.m. — Entertainment at the Café Stage
• 12 p.m.-3:30 p.m. — Americana-themed family entertainment at the HMC Stage
• 12 p.m.-6 p.m. — Amp’d Up entertainment at the Depot Stage
• 4-5:30 p.m. — Red Molly at the HMC Stage

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