Rhonda Griffin, Journal Editor

BLADENBORO — Downtown Bladenboro will be packed with fun on Saturday for the second annual Beast of Bladenboro Festival.

Beast Fest ‘08 will kick off with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. Live entertainment will take over the stage beginning at 10:30 a.m., with various singing acts throughout the day, along with dancers from Amy’s Academy of Dance and a gymnastics presentation by Lumberton Gymnastics. Storyteller Terry Rollins will share tales with the crowd at 4 p.m.

Milton Bullock, a North Carolina native and former member of the legendary group The Platters, will have CDs available for purchase and will also sign autographs for fans. Bullock will take the stage at 5 p.m., to perform some golden oldies.

From 6 p.m. until 10 p.m., the crowd will be entertained by the musical talents of Jim Quick and Coastline.

In addition to the main stage, other fun and activities will fill the downtown area all day.

The second annual Beast of Bladenboro Festival Car Show will begin on Main Street with registration from 8 a.m. until noon and judging from noon until 1 p.m. Awards will be presented at 2 p.m.

For additional information on the car show, contact Jason or Betsy Helms at 648-2080 or Jon Hasbrouck at 863-3309.

Children are sure to have a blast with attractions such as the Froot Loop Moon Walk, Wild Wave Slide and Pirate Ship Obstacle Course to keep them busy. Along with the rides and games, face painting, airbrush tattoos and the always popular marshmallow shooters will add to the fun of the day.

A new event for this year’s festival is the chili cook-off, which will begin in the morning, with the winners announced at 5 p.m. And, of course, the area will be packed with booths filled with handmade arts and crafts, perfect for some early Christmas shopping or just to pick up a little something for yourself.

As with any local festival, there will be no shortage of food. Sandwiches; turkey legs; chicken wings; funnel cakes; bloomin’ onions; homemade ice cream; chicken bog; seafood; roasted corn; baked goods and more will provide something for everyone’s cravings.

So mark your calendars for Saturday, Oct. 25, to spend a fun-filled day in downtown Bladenboro. And don’t forget to keep your eyes open for the Beast!

For the complete line-up of events for the day, be sure to read the special insert in today’s paper for more information.