Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010

Savoring the lazy end of summer

Shelby Merchant remembers going to the Lazy Daze festival as a kid. It's where he bought his first pop gun, tugging on his father's shirt to get money to buy it.

The contemporary country musician grew up in and around downtown Cary, drinking orangeades at Ashworth's Drugs and attending the festival many years.

What he might not have anticipated, however, was that he'd one day be a headlining performer.

Merchant will perform at the 34th Annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival on Saturday, his second performance at the festival.

"The memories of spending time in downtown Cary mean a lot to me," Merchant said. "It's a great platform to perform, and it's always cool that there are so many local people who can come out and display their talents."

An estimated 50,000 people are expected to flood downtown Cary to take in one of the region's largest street fairs.

This year's festival will see about 385 arts and crafts vendors and performances on three stages from regional acts such as Merchant and Soul Brazil.

"We say it's the largest street festival with a small town feel," said Joy Ennis, festival coordinator. "We want to bring people to support our downtown, and we know people come to expect us at the end of the summer."

Here are some of the new events taking place this year:

Breaking Records: Attendees can help West Virginia toymaker Jason Lynch stuff the world's largest rag doll.

For $4, guests can stuff the doll and write their name on a wooden heart that'll be placed inside the doll. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Lazy Daze grants program.

If successful, the feat could be listed in the Guinness World Records.

Cooking Challenge: Ten grill masters will perfect their steak recipe and pair it with a wine in Beringer Vineyard's Great Steak Challenge Regional Semifinals.

The winner of the competition will travel to Napa Valley for the national championship, which will air on the Cooking Network.

Saving Memories: Buy a locker door from Old Cary High and Elementary School as a personal keepsake. Attendees can own a piece of the historic school before it is transformed into the Cary Community Arts Center in spring 2011.

Many festival favorites are also returning, including: Kid's World, a children's activity center; Our Town, a place where citizens can learn about public services offered by Cary; and Cultural Arts Row, a showcase of local arts non-profits.

The Sister Cities Association Beer Garden is also coming back, allowing over-21 festival-goers to sip and sample domestic and imported beers.

And don't miss the Silver Drummer Girl, a performance artist who acts as a living statue, Ennis said.

Proceeds from the festival fund the Lazy Daze grant program, which provides money to local non-profit arts organizations. In 33 years, about $475,000 worth of grants have been awarded.

For more information, including the complete entertainment schedule, vendor map and concession offerings, visit the Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival page at townof cary.org .