MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Summer Festival got off to a cool and soggy start Friday evening, but it didn’t keep everyone away. “I came out for the food,” said high school student Katie Fisher, who was walking around with friends. “We always come to the festival every year.”

“Traffic is slower because of the weather, but still, not real bad,” said Norm Borntrager at the Northridge Band food booth Friday. The booth’s menu includes pulled pork and corn from Sweet Corn Charlie’s.

“The food brought us out tonight,” said Jon Miller. “And we’ll be here tomorrow,” said his wife, Stephanie. They brought their children to the festival for supper. “We’ve been in Middlebury for one year,” said Stephanie. “We were moving in last year during the Summer Festival.”

“We love it in Middlebury,” said Jon.

The rain made the entertainment tent the place to be Friday evening. Festival goers enjoyed magician-comedian Mark Trip, and ’60s and’70s band Total Recall. “We will have plenty of entertainment tomorrow, as early as 10 a.m. with Hey Kids, Its Jamin, a band of Northridge students, along with the pancake breakfast,” said festival chairman Mike Ridenour. “Then at 11 a.m. the Northridge Northern Lights and Starlights will perform. And in the afternoon we will have our awesome parade.”

Velvet Water, a bluegrass/Americana/rock band from Winchester, Ken., will play at 5:30 p.m. “These guys are driving up six hours from Kentucky to play here because they love playing at these small-town festivals,” said Ridenour.

Closing out the festival at 8 p.m. will be DANG!, a band of area teachers. “They’ve been part of our afternoon entertainment for a couple of years, but this year they are our closing entertainment. They are hilarious,” said Ridenour. “One of the band members lives in Florida now, and he is coming up here just to play at the Summer Festival. This festival is really about Middlebury, and people look forward to it. It’s a highlight of the summer.”



Schedule of Events

Today

7 to 10:30 a.m. — Pancake and Sausage Breakfast. All you can eat. (East Park Pavilion)

9 a.m. — Registration begins at the covered bridge at Essenhaus for the 5th annual fishing tournament. Fish from 9:30 to 11 a.m. with open fishing until noon.

10 to 11 a.m. — Hey Kids, Its Jammin (Entertainment Tent)

11 a.m. — Vendors open

11a.m. to noon — Northridge High School show choirs (East Park basketball court)

1 p.m. — Festival Parade. Grand marshals: Bob and Nancy Hawkins.

Following the parade:

• Tae Kwon Do demonstration. (East Park)

• Music and Dance Academy (Entertainment Tent)

• Distinguished Young Women of Middlebury (Entertainment Tent)

• Presentation of parade Awards (Entertainment Tent)

• Wounded Warrior Project motorcycle ride will go through Middlebury at 3 p.m.

• Velvet Water from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Entertainment Tent)

• DANG! from 8 to 10 p.m. (Entertainment Tent)



Sunday

5 p.m. — Community worship in the Entertainment Tent.