The Loblolly Festival

We won!!

2010-06-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Loblolly Festival was declared "Best Special Event" by the Mississippi Main Street Association at the 2010 Main Street Awards on June 24.
Thanks to all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers and attendees who made this possible. Can't wait for Oct. 2, 2010!

Pictured at right: Linda Reinholtz (City of Laurel), Wanda Benson (City of Laurel), Larry Ronk (Main Street board member), Jacqueline Lee (Main Street director), Amy Gonzalez (Main Street past president), Patrick Little (2009 Loblolly Entertainment Chair), Eric Roberts (Main Street president) attended the 2010 Mississippi Main Street Awards. Laurel Main Street received "Best Special Event" for the 2009 Loblolly Festival held on Oct. 3, 2009.

2010 Live music RFPs

2010-04-05T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Laurel Main Street is now accepting applications from musicians, bands and other artists interested in performing at the 2010 Loblolly Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3.
To submit your group for consideration, mail a press kit to:
Laurel Main Street
PO Box 1256
Laurel MS 39441

Thanks!

2009-10-08T13:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who participated in the 2009 Loblolly Festival! It was a great success with nearly 5,000 in attendance. Funds were raised for Laurel Express, the Sherry Babb Breast Cancer Walk and the Animal Rescue League.
Be sure to check this site next year for the announcement of the 2010 date as well as applications for vendors and sponsors.

Lumberjack Show

2009-09-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show will take place twice throughout the day at 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. south of the flagpole on Central Avenue.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the Oct. 1 ReView of Jones County for a full schedule of events.

Acoustic Stage Lineup

2009-09-27T13:40:00.001-07:00

Be sure to check out the Acoustic Stage with local performers at the Food Court on the east end of Central Avenue.

ACOUSTIC STAGE LINEUP:
11 a.m. Tiffany Wilson
Noon-2 p.m. Andrew Duhon
2-4 p.m. Chad Knight Trio
4 p.m. Flight From Below

Festival Music Lineup

2009-09-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Check out headlining act Travis Clark! You can visit his MySpace and listen to a few tracks here.

Click to read an interview with him here.

Dog Contest and Breast Cancer Walk Entry Forms

2009-09-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

You can now download entry forms for the Sherry Babb 5K Breast Cancer Walk as well as the Pooches on Parade Dog Contest. Links are below and at right.

Sherry Babb 5K Breast Cancer Walk

Pooches on Parade Dog Contest

Forms coming soon!

2009-09-09T07:51:00.000-07:00

Check back soon for entry forms to the Sherry Babb 5K Cancer Walk and the Pooches on Parade Dog Contest.

Sponsorship Forms now available!

2009-08-05T07:04:00.001-07:00

Click the link at right to download a PDF of the 2009 Loblolly Festival Sponsorship Levels and Form.
We'll be announcing some of our sponsors soon!
For more information, call Jackie Lee at (601) 433-3255.

Featuring the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show

2009-06-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Loblolly Festival takes you back to the days when Laurel was a true sawmill town. The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, performing three times that Saturday, Oct. 3 will wow you and your family with their events and competitions, including log rolling, cross cut sawing, chain saw carving and more!
Be sure to check them out at the corner of 5th Avenue and Library Road during the festival. A guide to the full day of festival events will be available in The ReView of Jones County at the festival entrances and as part of the regular weekly edition on Oct. 1.

Name change

2009-06-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

By now it has been well publicized that the Main Street Festival has changed its name to the Loblolly Festival. Why Loblolly you might ask?
First, here's the meaning of the word:

lob·lol·ly
1. One of several pines native to the southeastern United States.
2. A low, wet place

The name loblolly has become associated with several varieties of trees, all of which favor wet bottomlands in the Gulf and South Atlantic states.

Before it became the beautiful City of Laurel, this area was a low, wet place. This was the perfect climate and setting to grow one of our greatest resources, the yellow pine timber that helped fund the development of Laurel through its milling. We no longer have the sawmill, but the legacy that it left is certainly worth celebrating at the annual Loblolly Festival in the same site where the old mill once stood-- Downtown.

Food vendors

2009-06-16T12:39:00.001-07:00

Update: 220 volt outlets are available but must be requested in advance. These requests may affect your placement at the festival. For more information, email laurelexpress@gmail.com

Seeking performers

2009-05-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Loblolly Festival is seeking entertainment acts to perform at the 14th Annual event in downtown Laurel on Saturday, October 3. If interested, please contact us at laurelexpress@gmail.com

Vendor apps now online

2009-05-15T12:58:00.000-07:00

See the menu at right and click in the relevant vendor category to open a PDF document. Print and mail with payment to the address on the form.
Food vendors, please write deposit checks separately from booth fee. This will make returning deposits easy.
Non-profit organizations (churches, educational, etc.) that do not plan to sell fundraising items, please contact Laurel Express for your application. Call 601.433.3255 or email laurelexpress@gmail.com.
Thanks!

Applications available now!

2009-05-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

Arts & Crafts & Food Vendors,
Applications to participate in the 2009 Loblolly Festival in downtown Laurel, Miss. are available now at the Laurel Express office, 409 Oak Street, Laurel, Miss. Or send your mailing address or email address laurelexpress@gmail.com along with name, phone number and products/food category to have the application sent to you. A link to the documents will soon be available at this site.