Orange Street Festival is Back and Bigger Than Ever

The 48th annual Orange Street Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 9, in downtown Orange. (Photo Courtesy of Orange County Chamber of Commerce - BC Photography)

After a week of sweltering weather, forecasters are predicting a more pleasant weekend just in time to enjoy a beloved local tradition: the 48th annual Orange Street Festival.

The event, hosted by the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, will take place Saturday, Sept. 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Main Street and Short Street in downtown Orange. Activities will include live music, food and artisan vendors and a newly revamped kids’ activity area in the vicinity of Taylor Park, featuring face painting, inflatables, the Orange County Public Schools STEM bus and the Orange County Fire and EMS fire safety house.

Earthquest will provide additional entertainment in the form of bird-of-prey demonstrations, and visitors who wish to have a sit-down meal will be able to stop by one of several restaurants along Main Street that will be open during the event. For those looking to make connections within the community, representatives of area nonprofits and political campaigns will be available to meet and discuss their initiatives.

According to Orange County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Judi Cooper, the festival is a way to fulfill the organization’s mission to support local businesses, while giving attendees a chance to shop a variety of small businesses all in one place.

“It brings people down to those main street businesses that they might not normally come to visit, but it also gives our other businesses in the area — especially some of the home-based businesses and trades that don’t have a storefront — an opportunity to get out in front of people,” she explained.

And with approximately 175 vendors and attractions at this year’s festival, shoppers will have more choices than ever.

“It's about a 50/50 mix of new versus returning vendors,” Cooper shared. “So there are some of your old favorites that have been there for years, but we've also got a lot of new things to discover.”

For more information about the Orange Street Festival, including a full list of vendors and activities, visit www.orangevachamber.com/orange-street-festival. Admission to the festival is free and no RSVP is required.