Experience a Taste of Indian Head this weekend
Indian Head residents can expect a family day of fun at the fourth annual Taste of Indian Head on May 14.
On Saturday, the Taste of Indian Head will begin at 11 a.m. with an opening ceremony and then give local residents an opportunity to experience local vendors and entertainment including bands, clowns, singers and musicians, face painting, a fashion show, a dance recital and the town’s Indian Head pageant, all at the Village Green Park and Village Green Pavilion.
“It’s a really great event that highlights businesses, local vendors in the town and it really gets the business community involved with everyone so we really look forward to the event,” said Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulin. “It’s always been a really successful event, fun for all ages. They have a pie eating contest and the Little Miss Indian Head pageant that’s always adorable.”
The event is co-sponsored by the Indian Head Business Association and the Town of Indian Head, and includes food trucks, such as Dale’s Smokehouse, co-owned by Pam Hundley, co-chair of the Indian Head Business Association.
Hundley said the Taste of Indian Head event was started four years ago by the business association in an effort to get businesses more involved in the community, allow the public to see what local businesses have to offer and host a nice, family-friendly event that lets people know what’s happening in the town.
“We want to help support the home-based businesses because there’s this stigma like ‘what’s so good over there in Indian Head?’ and this event demonstrates that,” said Kay Cotton, co-chair of the In- dian Head Business Association. “Most Charles County businesses and residents didn’t even know about Route 210 [Indian Head Highway] because most events are in Waldorf and La Plata. This event gets the other parts of Charles County looking in our direction.”
The business association notes that a majority of the businesses in the town are family operated and owned by women. The association hopes the event will spark interest among other types of businesses that would help revitalize the town’s economy.
“The Taste of Indian Head gives visitors a taste of a small town,” Cotton said.
Cotton said visitors can also expect entertainment such as bellydancers, the Southern Maryland line dancers, and local musicians Kevin Grimes and Doc Stevens & Marilyn Band.
“Last year we had a little over 400 people so this event usually draws a very big crowd,” Hundley said. “This will be our second year doing the Little Miss Indian Head pageant which everyone loves to see.”
Winners for the pageants, including the Little Miss and Little Mr. Indian Head (ages 3-6); Junior Miss and Junior Mr. Indian Head (ages 7-10); and Miss Teen and Mr. Teen Indian Head (ages 16 -19), will be crowned that day. The winners will receive a crown and a sash. Winner of the biggest category — Little Miss Indian Head — will receive a Build-a-Bear that reads “Little Miss Indian Head.”
Paulin suggested to the business association that next year the town should incorporate a parade into the Taste of Indian Head as another way to get more of the local students and organizations involved.