By Taylor Boyd and Jessica Dillon
The first Collinsville Spring Fest is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Henry County Recreation Center.
Created and hosted by Collinsville District Supervisor Chris Lawless, the event is designed to bring the community together while highlighting local businesses and vendors.
“Being the supervisor for Collinsville, I feel like it needs light shone on it, it needs to have culture brought back to the community, and I feel like it’s a good opportunity to show our community what we have to offer,” Lawless said.
The festival will feature 25 to 30 vendors, along with food, a live DJ, a bounce house and activities for children. Among the participating businesses are Unique Creations, Baking Memories Wright, Cat Lady Arts, Curley’s Food Truck, El Tilin Mexican Food Truck, and others.
“It’s just to have the community together. Anybody who wants to come,” is welcome, said Megan Salgado, an employee with Lawless Welding & Fabrication Inc.
The event is free for both vendors and attendees. Vendors are asked to bring their own tables, chairs and setup materials. Vendors will be accepted on the day of the event.
Salgado said the event reflects Lawless’ goal of increasing community engagement.
“That’s one of his big things when he was campaigning. He wanted to have more community events. He wants the community to get together,” she said.
Lawless said the idea for the event was inspired in part by Oktoberfest, which draws large crowds to Uptown Martinsville each year.
“It’s the first year we are going to learn from it and go from it,” he said.
Lawless said he hopes to grow the event in the future, potentially expanding to a larger location such as the former StarTek parking lot.
“My future goal would be outgrow its current location because we have so many people,” he said.
He also said he wants Spring Fest to become an annual event.
“I want to see Springfest be a yearly event, just like we have Trash Pandas. I want to make Collinsville a location where everyone can come and enjoy themselves,” Lawless said.
In addition to the festival, Lawless said he is working to strengthen connections among local businesses through a proposed group called Collinsville Connection.
“We are going to create Collinsville Connection, a business group oriented for small businesses that allow them to have a voice and make a change in their community,” he said.
Those interested in participating as vendors or seeking more information can email jackie@lawlessweldinginc.com or call (276) 673-1050.
“Come out and have a great time. We want to welcome our community and have a great time on April 25,” Chris Lawless said.
The Henry County Recreation Center is located at 395 W. John Redd Blvd., Collinsville, behind the former Collinsville YMCA.
