Pop in to the Marion Popcorn Festival - rides, music, food, 5k and so much more

The Marion Popcorn Festival will be held Thursday-Saturday with the parade kicking things off Thursday evening.

The parade will line-up on Forest Lawn Drive and starts on East Center Street and Uhler Road, heading west (toward downtown) on Center Street, then moving on to State Street, Church Street and Mount Vernon Avenue and South Vine Street where it dispands.

The festival is open Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-midnight.

Rides open Thursday at 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $1.25 for a single; $20 for 20 tickets and $40 for 40 tickets; $25 for a daily wristband. Rides require three-six tickets each, according to the festival's website.

The Popcorn Festival 5K will be held 8-11 a.m. Saturday. The start line is at Shamrock’s Insurance parking lot at South Main and Church streets.

The pageant winners for 2024

Little Wee Pop: Mr. Little Wee Pop, Parker Dorfmeyer; first runner-up, Austin Merrill

Little Miss Wee Pop: Indy Cocherl; first runner-up, Rosalie Lackey

Wee Pop: Mr Wee Pop, Zephaniah Nelson; first runner-up, Jordan Merrill

Miss Wee Pop : Cahlen Anthony; first runner-up, Kinlee Wippich

Miss Teeny Pop: Zivah Berry; first-runner-up, Karrie Frissora

Miss Teen Popcorn: Sophia Raimo; first runner-up, Alexia Ferguson

Miss Marion Popcorn: Kalli Gregory; first runner-up, Dakota Scalise

Ms. Marion Popcorn : Andrea Campbell; first runner-up, Shanda Williamson

Popcorn Festival Main Stage entertainment

This year's Main Stage entertainment begins at 8:30 p.m. Thursday with Harvest - The Neil Young Electric & Acoustic Tribute. The opening act at 6 p.m. is Analog Youth.

Performing Friday at 8:30 p.m. will be Dillon Carmichael, with the opening act of Chad Clark at 6 p.m.

Jackyl will perform at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

The concerts are free, but a limited number of Kernel Sponsorships available. For information, contact Tiffany Harbolt by text at 740-223-5186 or email at tiffanyharbolt@gmail.com.

Entertainers over the years have included The Lettermen, Helen Reddy, Lee Greenwood, The Spinners, The Righteous Brothers, The Guess Who, Pointer Sisters, The Commodores, Tanya Tucker, Cheap Trick, Michael McDonald, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, REO Speedwagon, Smokey Robinson, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, David Lee Roth, Loverboy, Willie Nelson, Huey Lewis and The News, Styx and Blake Shelton.

Playing at the Poppin Party Stage

The Poppin Party Stage and Beer & Wine Garden features live entertainment in the parking lot between Charleston Place and RHAM on West Center Street.

Performing will be: 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Wulfman Jack; 5-8 p.m. Hard Drive and 8:30-11:30 p.m. Friday, Sneaky Pete & the Players; and 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Analog Youth and 8:30-11:30 p.m. Left of Center.

Take note of road closings and detours

Detours in downtown Marion area will get underway at 6 p.m. Tuesday to accommodate activities for the festival. Streets will remain closed until the festival's conclusion Saturday and may remain closed into the early hours of Sept. 8 for festival clean-up.

Detours will occur for the following streets:

• Center Street between State Street and Campbell Street
• Church Street between Main Street and Prospect Street
• Main Street between Huber Street and Church Street
• Prospect Street between George Street and Church Street
• Oak Street between Huber Street and Center Street

In preparation for and during the Popcorn Parade, the closure of several area streets will occur Thursday. The following streets will be closed in the section noted beginning at about 5 p.m. and remain closed until parade units have cleared the street:

• Forest Lawn Boulevard (closed from East Center Street to Mount Vernon Avenue)
• Chicago Avenue (closed between East Center Street and Wilson Avenue)
• Johnson Street (closed between East Center Street and Wilson Avenue)
• Boone Avenue (closed between East Center Street and Wilson Avenue)
• Pennsylvania Avenue (closed between East Center Street and East Church Street)
• Kenmore Ave. (closed between East Center Street and East Church Street)

The following streets will be closed until the conclusion of the parade:

• East Center Street between Merchant Street and State Street (closing at about 5 p.m. Sept. 5)
• South State Street between Center Street and Columbia Street
• South Vine Street between Center Street and Church Street/Mount Vernon Avenue
• East Church Street between State Street and Vine Street
• South High Street between Center Street and Church Street
• South Greenwood Street between Center Street and Mount Vernon Avenue

Marion Area Transit will make final pick-ups at 2 p.m., with final drop-offs scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Pop in to the Marion Popcorn Festival - rides, music, food, 5k and so much more