How Hubfest Helps Hattiesburg: More than just a fun time
Hattiesburg hosts many festivals downtown, but the largest happens every Spring. Hubfest is an annual event that brings together vendors, artists and businesses in the downtown area. This event takes over the downtown intersections of Main street, Front street and Pine street from 9am – 5pm. The festival attracts people from neighboring areas to flock to Hattiesburg. The all-day event is put on by the Area Development Partnership (ADP). The ADP is a local nonprofit organization. According to the ADP an estimated 30,000 people attended this year’s event.
President Chad Newell says “This event is in its 32nd year and truly signifies the beginning of spring here in Greater Hattiesburg. In addition, many businesses in and around the Downtown Hattiesburg benefit greatly as their sales spike on this day each year.” This event is funded by sponsors from the surrounding Hattiesburg area. In return these sponsors get their logo on the yearly Hubfest Banner and T-shirt that is sold at the festival.
(Video Courtesy of HubCity TV reporter Tichina Wilson)
This event is able to offer free admission because of these sponsors. Newell says this year’s Hubfest consisted of “four stages of live music and over 250 arts, crafts and food booths” There are many other interesting activities to take part in at Hubfest besides browsing the vendors and watching the live music.One of the many activities offered is to go ‘Over the Edge’ to raise money for the local charity Extra Table. According to their website, “Extra Table" is a non-profit organization with the mission of ending hunger and obesity by providing new, healthy food to emergency feeding agencies.”
Supporters of this non-profit organization free-rappelled almost 100 feet from the top of the Carter Building in Downtown Hattiesburg during Hubfest. In 2016 this same event raised to just over $50,973 for Extra Table. Executive Director Michael Dixon says “certainly Over The Edge has been effective in raising funds and also it’s been very high profile. So when we’ve do that event there are a lot of eyes on it, a lot of people asking questions.”
(Photo Courtesy of HubFest Website)
Dixon says the nonprofit donated 100,000 dollars’ worth of food last year to local food pantries. Over The Edge participant Jim Cole raised nearly 1,600 dollars this year for Extra Table at Hubfest 2017. Cole is the Chief Communication Officer at the University of Southern Mississippi. He says this event helps out both the University and Extra Table. “Because one of the food pantries that Extra Table donates to is Eagles Nest on campus.” The Eagle's Nest Food Pantry website says they “provides on-campus resources for Southern Miss students and staff who are temporarily experiencing challenges accessing basic necessities, including food.” Cole notes the connection between his work and community “it was a chance for me to support not only a good community organization but also Southern Miss students and people on this campus.”
Photo Courtesy of Over the Edge website
Hub City TV Reporter Autumn Brown has the story on how these local community leaders help raise money for Extra Table.
Other activities at Hubfest include browsing the vendors, businesses and local artist’s booths. Downtown Lucky Rabbit Business owner Brandon Thaxton says events like Hubfest help out the local community “And when they [attendees] were at Hubfest they experienced the Lucky Rabbit and now hopefully it’s a monthly habit for them and they’re gonna keep coming back and when they leave here they’re gonna go eat over here and they’re gonna go shop over there, ya know. So these are things just that’s
helping Hattiesburg all together.”
(Video Courtesy of HubCity TV reporter Autumn Brown)
For More information about helping out with Extra Table visit their website
