What to know about the upcoming Cochran Country Fest

This year’s Country Fest is planning a day packed with activities from morning till night Saturday in downtown Cochran. 

The annual event, hosted by the Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce, takes place on and around 2nd Street and will have events such as a race, live entertainment, a blood drive, scavenger hunts, a cake walk and more. 

“Country Fest is Cochran and Bleckley’s premier event of the year,” President of the Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce Melissa W. Barker said. “We have been working countless hours since the beginning of May to pull this together for not only our community but the surrounding communities as well.”

Aside from the typical vendors, live music and fireworks, Barker said the schedule is full of new events. The blood drive, pumpkin rock hunt, chili cook-off, pumpkin decorating contest are among those. The Pumpkin Run race is a throwback to a previous event at Country Fest. There will also be multiple locations at the festival with entertainment. 

All day Saturday, 2nd Street will be closed from Ash Street to Dykes Street to make way for vendors and food trucks. 

Attending the festival is free, so anyone can peruse the vendor booths and enjoy entertainment throughout the day. Parking is open all around the festival without any fees. Food is available for purchase from food trucks and vendors. 

The day’s schedule is as follows:

• 7 a.m. — Pumpkin Run day-of sign ups begin
• 8 a.m. — Pumpkin Run start
• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Festival vendors
• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Live entertainment and music
• 10 a.m. — Blood drive by Shepeard Community
• 10 a.m. — Pumpkin rock hunt
• 11 a.m. — Scavenger hunt
• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Promise of Hope Chili Cook-off
• Noon — Pumpkin decorating contest
• 2 to 4 p.m. — Bleckley Co. High School Beta Club cake walk
• 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Street dance and live band
• 9:30 p.m. — Fireworks