Best Friend Festival 2023: The Mountains Are Calling You and Your Friends

The 2023 Best Friends Festival will be held June 5-11. Please see below for the 2023 Events Schedule.

MONDAY, JUNE 5

6:00 p.m.  Gospel Concert –  Marsha Steele, Kings Messengers, and Lost Creek Ministries Praise and Worship 
Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown 

TUESDAY, JUNE 6

• 1 p.m.  Bike Rodeo (Ages 12 & under) – Downtown Norton Expo Center – Child bicycle safety course –Sponsored Norton Police Dept,, Ballad Health’s Safe Kid’s of Appalachia, Hagy Fawbush Funeral Home, Sturgill Funeral Home, Belcher Insurance, Erie Insurance/C-Group, ReMax, H&M Auto, Rodefer Moss, Lonesome Pine Lodging  and Norton Parks and Recreation 
• 2 p.m. Paint-a-Trash-Can – Located at the Norton Expo Center (Farmer’s Market) Main Stage Area Sponsored by Norton Parks and Recreation, Tractor Supply, Wise Furniture and Vic’s Decorating.
• 2 p.m. Outdoor Crafts – Norton Expo Center (Farmer’s Market) Main Stage Area  Sponsored  by Upper Tennessee River Round Table, Norton Christian Church and Connect America
• 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Friend’s & Farmer’s Market (Norton Expo Center), 8^th Street, SW) – Locally grown produce, market basket giveaway, kid’s bucks, and cooking demos.
• 6:00 p.m. – Kid’s Karaoke Contest (ages 2 & 10) – Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown Sponsored by WAXM
• Kid’s Karaoke Contest (ages 10 to 18) – Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown – Sponsored by WAXM
• Adult Karaoke Contest (ages 18 and up)  Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown Sponsored by WAXM 
• Kids Talent Show (ages 15 and under)  Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown  
• Adult Talent Show (ages 15 and over)  Main Stage Area – Municipal Parking Lot Downtown 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 

• 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Senior Citizen’s Day –  Norton Farmer’s Market Building  –  Featuring free lunch for seniors, bingo, free plant give away (Green Thumb Garden Club, Entertainment  –  Danielle Glass – Sponsored by Anthem Healthkeepers Plus, Eastman Credit Union, United Healthcare,  Virginia State Police, Wise County Sheriff’s Dept., Wells Fargo Advisors, Jason B. Sturgill – Financial Advisor, Earthlink,  Holston Medical Group, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, Norton Redevelopment & Housing Authority, Ballad Health, Commonwealth Catholic Charities, David Cox CPA and  Modivcare
• 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. – Lion’s Club Kid’s Night – Downtown Park Avenue  – Featuring kiddie rides, outdoor crafts, train rides, Magic Show by Joseph Young at 6 p.m.  Sponsored by Norton Lion’s Club and Pepsi Cola Bottling Company
• 9:15 p.m. –  12 Midnight – KID’S  NIGHT at JGREAT ENTERTAINMENT – Sponsored by JGREAT Entertainment

THURSDAY, JUNE 8

• 10:00 a.m. – Norton Cinema City Kid’s Day –  Movies at 10:00 a.m. & 12 noon – Admission $1.00 for children – Sponsored by Norton Cinema City
• 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Pet Show  –  Sugar Hill Cidery Parking Lot  –  Sponsored by Tractor Supply, Paw Plaza, Pet Sense, Far Fetched Grooming, Good Shepard Dog Training, PAWS of SWVA  and Norton Parks & Recreation
• 8:00 – 11:00 p.m. – Crankin’ with Crutchfield Car Show and Teen Dance (Ages 13-19) (Municipal parking lot, Park Avenue) – Featuring a teen dance, hot cars, cool prizes – Sponsored by Crutchfield Corporation

FRIDAY, JUNE 9

• 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. First Bank & Trust  Hot Dog Lunch
• Customer Appreciation Event Sponsored by First Bank & Trust
• 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. – Hometown Heros –  Family Fun Event  –  Come down and show your appreciation and see your First Responders and City Trucks on Display  –  Sponsored by the City of Norton and the Parks and Recreation Department
• 6:00 p.m.  –  GET READY TO DANCE AND TUMBLE Featuring STEPZ Dance, JBEN Gymnastics and Rainbow Gymnastics  – Main Stage
• 7:30 p.m. – Friday Night Family Fun Night with a Concert by  Fritz & Co. at 7:45 p.m. The Edge  at 8:30 p.m. and Cash Crop at 9:15 p.m. Sponsored by The City of Norton, Coalfield Progress, Foundever, New Peoples Banks, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company, Old Dominion Power Company

FRIDAY, JUNE 9 (continued)

6:00 – 10:00 p.m. – A Kid’s Place (Park Avenue) –  Bungee jump, kiddie rides Sponsored by Appalachian Foster Care Alliance, Anthem Healthkeepers Plus,  Ballad Health, Earthlink, Holston Medical Group, Old Dominion Power Company,  Miners Exchange Banks,  Wells Fargo Advisors, Jason B. Sturgill – Financial Advisor, United Healthcare, J. Daniels HVAC & Plumbing Co., Appalachian Community Federal Credit Union, Southwest Tool Rental, Eastman Credit Union, Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Modivcare, David Cox CPA and Hair Volution

SATURDAY, JUNE 10

• 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Norton Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast (Norton Expo Building)  Tickets $6.00
• 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Citywide Yard Sale
• 7:00 a.m. – Flea Market Vendors (Country Cabin Parking Lot, Municipal Parking Lot, Park Avenue)
• 10 a.m.  GROUP HIKE –  Flag Rock Trail Head at Picnic Shelters – 2 mile loop to Woodbooger Statue
• 2 p.m.  Vintage Baseball Game  –  Location – Norton Little League Field Call

SUNDAY, JUNE 11

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.  Kid’s Fishing Day – Held at the Norton Reservoir Sponsored by Friends of Lee County, Home Hardware, Norton Pentecostal, Vic’s Decorating, Grocery Outlet, Alfredo’s and Norton Parks and Recreation – Kids 12 and under