A new $5 ticket will be needed for entrance to the carnival area at Montgomery Festival this weekend.
The modification came from the committee that works on the event.
“The big change is that everyone (age 5 and up) has to purchase a $5 ticket to gain entrance into the carnival area,” said Trustee Denny Lee.
The $5 ticket can then be utilized to purchase tickets for rides and games or go toward the $20 fee charged for wristbands that allow entrance to all rides and games from 6 to 10 p.m., Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday.
The other change is the carnival area will be fenced off from the rest of the fair.
The event begins at 5 p.m. Friday with food and craft booths, the Montgomery Foundation beer tent, carnival rides, games and the group Back Country Roads taking the stage at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday events include the Montgomery’s Got Talent contest at noon, followed by Whiskeyfist, Centerfold, Mr. Freeze and Evolution. Sunday events include the carp fishing derby, the annual car show, Ronald McDonald’s magic show, the BMX Stunt Team and performances by bands Dabylon, Next Tuesday and Nygel Ajax.
The annual parade down Main Street kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday and the fest will end with a fireworks display Sunday night.
“This is the one time when people from the area come down to the festival and say hello to their neighbors,” said Lee.
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The community also offers a free shuttle bus service to downtown Montgomery Saturday and Sunday from Lakewood Creek Elementary School and from the U-Haul parking lot on Douglas Road near Route 30. The shuttle buses run every half-hour from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., when the event closes.
The multipurpose room at Village Hall will be open during the entire event as a cooling center.
The festival takes place in one central location in the Historic Mill District at the corner of River and Mill streets in Montgomery.
Judy Pochel is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News