If you won’t listen to Tony Camm, whose catchy ditty "Get Downtown," is making the rounds on YouTube, then how about the folks at Lynch’s Landing?
The third annual Get!Downtown street festival, a collaboration between Lynch’s Landing, area colleges and other local groups, runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday.
"It’s intended to be a welcome back party for college students," says Anna Bentson, executive director of Lynch’s Landing and a former downtown dweller herself.
Main Street will be closed from 8th to 13th for the event, and you can expect something to be happening on nearly every corner.
Camm will get things going with a performance of "Get Downtown" at 6:05 p.m. on the Community Market’s main stage, right after City Council welcomes everyone to the festivities.
Later, jazz and R&B band Ebony Blue will hit the stage for two shows at 6:15 and 8 p.m.
The area between 10th and 11th street will be an Arts & Culture Block, where Bellweather States, Sweet Briar College’s Sweet Tones, Dance Theatre of Lynchburg and the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra will perform throughout the night.
A block down, Catalano’s Delicatessen (908 Main St.) will host a meatball eating contest at 7 p.m.; contestants, all playing for charities, include co-owner Clinton Jones, former Virginia Tech football player Andre Kendrick, LU’s Alan York and Camm (he’s everywhere these days, isn’t he?).
Catalano’s will make a donation to all of their charities, but whoever eats the most meatballs in 10 minutes will win the largest sum.
The Community Market’s dorm room cooking contest and demonstration is set for 7:15 p.m.; it will feature local chefs and college students competing to make a meal with microwaves and/or hotplates and the kind of supplies you’d find in a dorm room (think Easy Mac and Ramen).
More than 125 vendors will be spread out along the streets, and many stores and venues will extend their hours. Street performers include Lynchburg Tribal, the Liberty University break dancing team, stilt walkers, caricature artist Ted Mickle and local clown Teddy Spaghetti.
There will also be karaoke, face painting and a graffiti wall, sponsored by Catalano’s.
Admission to the festival is free. For more information, call (434) 528-3950 or visit www.lynchslanding.com.