T-Minus 1 Day to the Downtown Farmington Founders Festival

For the last two days, workers have been going through downtown Farmington and sprucing it up for the Downtown Farmington Founders Festival, which starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday.

There's fresh mulch throughout the landscaping, clusters of tables and chairs – and even a few checkerboards – up and down Grand River. The Walker's Tavern tent is up in Riley Park, and Alley Regalley tents have been erected behind the Village Mall on Farmington Road.

Downtown Farmington's ready, and here are a few last-minute bits of information we thought you should know:

Breaking pancake news

We just learned the will be hosting a pancake breakfast on the lawn in front of the Hall in the northwest corner of Grand River and Farmington Road on Saturday morning before the Founders Festival parade. The Masons serve up delicious breakfasts, which will probably taste even better outdoors.

Farmington High Boosters Bingo

This group has been doing bingo at the Festival for more than 30 years, to raise money for scholarships to music camps and private lessons, new equipment for the instrumental music programs at and instrument repair. This year, they've added a kids' bingo session, from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Friday afternoon, with great prizes, including a party for 10 at , awarded to the winner of the last game of the afternoon, a cover-all.

The tent is located on the south side of Grand River, between and Farmington Insurance Agency. Except for the kids' bingo, you must be 18 or older to play. One card is 50 cents or a sheet of 3 for $1.25, and the payout for each game is 50 percent. The last game of each night is a cover-all, with a 100 percent payout to the winner.

Hours are 5 p.m.-11 p.m. on Friday, which is Alumni Night; 12 p.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Parking

Downtown municipal parking lots will be open, but your best bet is to park at or and take the shuttle to downtown Farmington. Shuttles run about every 20 minutes 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. -  5:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Sellers shuttle stops at Go PlayGround behind ; the Farmington High shuttle stops at and the

Information booths

The Festival's volunteer headquarters is in the former bank building next door to Synergy Home Health Care on the north side of Grand River. You'll also find information booths outside headquarters, in the children's area near Farmington City Hall and near the Family Stage in the Downtown Farmington Center lot. A map of the Festival grounds is available at foundersfestival.com.