NORMAN — With the biggest event for this small town only two months away, Norman town leaders and organizers have already begun feverishly preparing for Norman Fest.

Mayor Kenneth Broadway said during the town’s monthly meeting Monday night that more than 40 vendors have signed up so far as the event enters its sixth year.

The festival is set to take place over two days, beginning 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 and continuing from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. Although not everything is completely planned yet, Broadway and his helpers have a good head start.

“We’re trying to put together a glow-in-the-dark fun run for Friday night,” he said. “We thought something at night would be different and fun. Music is lined up. Everything is looking good, and I just hope everything comes in order.”

Kelly Pruett, executive director of the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority, was in attendance for the meeting as well and offered to provide any kind of help she could for Norman Fest.

Broadway said they were in the process of trying to get a stage built for music groups because Hoptoberfest in Rockingham will be using Norman’s in October. He said the city of Hamlet offered its stage, but Pruett will hopefully look to Cole Auditorium and its outdoor stage as a possible substitute.

Another of Pruett’s first orders of business in helping with the festival will be advertising. She has 750 basketballs, footballs and frisbees set to be given away and each one can be emblazoned with the new Norman Fest logo.

“As soon as you guys have anything for me, I’ll advertise it,” said Pruett. “We’re ready. Whatever you’ve got, we’ll make up some fliers.”

Another attraction for the fall festival will be The House and The Horseshoe — a War of 1812 re-enactment group. Although they won’t actually be doing the re-enactment, Broadway said, members will show off period tools, guns and apparel. He said they’ll show the way life was in 1812.

Helicopter rides provided by Reini Grauer and Charlotte Helicopters will be back, and with those being such a staple for Norman Fest, Broadway said Grauer feels like he’s part of the festival. Another helicopter will be in attendance when the giant inflatable Smokey Bear comes to town along with the bright yellow North Carolina Forest Service chopper.

For the kids, there will be face-painting, pony rides and bounce houses.

Foodies will be in luck, as Broadway said two new cuisines are lined up for this year — wood-heated pizza and chicken on a stick in addition to barbecue, funnel cakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, collard sandwiches and “walking tacos,” which are made using a bag of Fritos and topping it with chili, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes.

Broadway has been in touch with the North Carolina Zoo in hopes of getting staffers to come to Norman Fest and bring some type of exhibit with them.

“I’ve also been in touch with the Wounded Warrior Project,” said Broadway. “They said they would notify us of wounded warriors in the area and invite to them to come.”

Pruett said they could request a wounded warrior speaker, and it wouldn’t cost festival organizers a thing.

“Wounded Warrior will fly them in and pay for everything,” she said.

Last year’s event had more than 3,000 people in attendance and those in charge of the festival are hoping to, at the very least, reach that number again.

“We’re hoping for between 2,000 and 4,000 people,” Broadway said. “If we get less than a thousand, it’ll be time to call it quits, but we’re getting excited around here and hoping everything comes on board.”

Reach reporter Matt Harrelson at 910-817-2674 and follow him on Twitter @mattyharrelson.

Daily Journal file photo An aerial view of 2013’s Norman Fest from Charlotte Helicopter’s Robinson R44 Raven II shows the large crowd in attendance.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_normanfest42.jpgDaily Journal file photo An aerial view of 2013’s Norman Fest from Charlotte Helicopter’s Robinson R44 Raven II shows the large crowd in attendance.

Matt Harrelson | Daily Journal Norman Mayor Kenneth Broadway, far left, town council members and Norman Fest organizers discuss where vendors will be set up in anticipation of the town’s annual fall event in October.
https://www.yourdailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_DSC_04822.jpgMatt Harrelson | Daily Journal Norman Mayor Kenneth Broadway, far left, town council members and Norman Fest organizers discuss where vendors will be set up in anticipation of the town’s annual fall event in October.

By Matt Harrelson

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