The NorthShore Merchants Collective will present a new three-day festival dedicated to the “Vine that ate the South.”
The premiere events for the weekend will be on Saturday with a street parade running along Frazier Avenue and River Street, starting at 10 a.m. Also, returning this year to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, the Kudzu Ball will be held from 8-11 p.m. at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
(For a history of the original Kudzu Ball, go to: http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1988/Kudzu-Ball-Like-Its-Namesake-Just-Keeps-Growing/id-9928045c9a8b592bf2bfa1621747619c)
The members of the NorthShore Merchants Collective will host more than 50 events over the course of the weekend, beginning Friday evening and running through Sunday.
Events will include openings and receptions, special discounts at participating merchants, drawings, and live entertainment. Participating merchants will also have “bingo cards” that can be filled out by visiting members of the collective and having the card stamped. Those obtaining at least 15 stamps will be entered for a gift basket of items valued at over $500.
The Kudzu Festival will highlight a busy weekend on the NorthShore which also includes the annual Wine Over Water fundraiser on the Walnut Street Bridge and the opening weekend of River Rocks at Coolidge Park.
A full schedule and list of participating merchants and eventsis available at www.kudzufestival.com. More information on the NorthShore Merchants Collective is available at www.northshorechattanooga.com.