Contests, crafts, music and a cruise-in at Ringgold's 1890's Day Jamboree.

The 1890’s Day Jamboree starts in Ringgold on Friday night

If it’s Memorial Day weekend, that means it’s time for the 1890’s Day Jamboree in Ringgold, Georgia. It’s a tradition 40-plus years in the making.

Everything charming about a small- town event — pageants, food and crafts vendors, dance contests, parade, classic car show and fireworks finale — is wrapped into this street festival.

Family Fun Friday sets the mood for a wholesome, family- f riendly event with music on three stages beginning at 6 p.m. Fourteen gospel acts will sing either on the Mountain View Stage at Cleveland Street or the Walter Jackson Chevrolet Stage on the courthouse lawn.

Spinster and Jordan Hallquist will perform at 6 and 7 p.m, respectively, on the Ringgold Telephone Co. Stage on Nashville Street before headliner and hometown sons Smith & Wesley come on at 8 p.m.

Brothers Scott and Todd Smith are a country music act whose singles “You’re the One” and “Sweet Life” cracked the top 25 on the Music Row Breakout chart. Scott delivers lead vocals and plays acoustic guitar; Todd plays acoustic guitar, harmonica and sings harmonies. They’ve opened for Florida Georgia Line, Alan Jackson and Old Dominion. Their newest single is “The Little Things.”

The 25th annual 1890’s Day Jamboree Pageant is also Friday night in Patriot Hall, 320 Emberson Drive. Girls wishing to compete must register between 3 and 5:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. For more information on the pageant, contact Pam Chambers, 423718-0303.

A dance and f iddle contest kicks off Saturday’s fun at 9 a.m. before the 11 a.m. parade through downtown Ringgold (lineup begins at 9 a. m. on Robin Road.)

The cruise- in is held throughout festival hours Saturday in the parking lot of Ringgold First Baptist Church, 7611 Nashville St.

Music continues after the parade at noon on the Cleveland Street stage.

At t he courthouse stage, Saturday afternoon’s music will be that of competitors in a banjo competition at 12:30 p.m., fiddle competition at 1 p.m. and band competition at 3:30 p.m. Dancers take over the stage at 5 p.m. for the individual dance competition followed by a team dance contest at 7 p.m.

Finalists from the fiddle competition will compete in a Fiddle-Off at 8 p.m.

The fireworks finale will light up the sky after Saturday’s last musical performance, about 10 p.m.

For complete schedules: www.1890sdays.com.

PHOTOS FROM 1890SDAYS. COM A crowd listens to a band play at the courthouse stage during a prior 1890’s Day Jaboree.