Iron City Festival features live entertainment and fun

BLACKSBURG - Several groups from the local area will be providing live entertainment Saturday afternoon at the Iron City Festival.

Linda Falls, president of the Blacksburg Business Association, said, "We are very pleased to have these great groups play at our festival; this is going to be a weekend like Blacksburg hasn't seen in a long time, and it has been long overdue. We welcome Hank, David and Friends, Carolina Rail, High Calling, and the Blacksburg All Men's Chorus to our great line up of activities."

The festival is being sponsored by the Blacksburg Business Association (BBA).

Last week, the BBA announced that Jack Roper, WSPA personality and weatherman, will be performing his famous magic show Saturday at noon at the festival.

The festival will also feature the Atlantic Coast S Gaugers, who will display their model trains at Iron City Place. They feature a 1/64 scale world of model trains manufactured in the 50's to the present.

The display is interactive with more than 40 buttons that allow viewers to blow whistles, load barrels into waiting freight cars, animated miniature workers as well as a few new surprises. ACSG has displayed at numerous Great American Train Show exhibits as well as at the North Carolina Transportation Museum during special events. Every exhibit is different. The layout evolves much like an actual railroad.

Another great show at the festival will be a car show on South Shelby Street. The show is open to individuals, car clubs and motorcycles. Call Mark McDaniel, 864839-2400, for more information.

Broad River Baptist Church parking lot will be filled with all types of tractors and farm equipment.

The festival will also have individual vendors selling art, and displaying art and photography.

All school-aged children are eligible to be in the parade - so bring your stroller, wagons, go carts, skates, roller blades, and bikes for this event. Helmets are required if you are riding or skating. The event actually will begin tonight with a kick-off dance on Shelby Street.

In case of rain tonight, the street dance will be held in the Volunteer Fire Department.

In case of rain Saturday, all events except the car and tractor shows will be held inside the Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Deptartment, Iron City Place and Blacksburg High School Cafeteria.