T-Minus 10 Days to the Downtown Farmington Founders Festival

It's almost time to "Go Play in the Streets," as the Downtown Farmington Founders Festival kicks off in less than two weeks.

For the next 10 days, we'll preview this family-friendly extravaganza to give you an idea of what to expect from the 2011 festival. We've got a lot of ground to cover, so let's start with what's new:

"Go Green" initiative

Located in at the corner of Grand River and Oakland Street, this eco-friendly spot will have many educational components that will show how you can make a positive impact on the environment individually and as part of your community. You can also share your eco-friendly ideas, projects, art creations, games, recyclable crafts, fun kids’ activities or even a meal recipe that can help people “go green” to better health and wellness. Visit foundersfestival.com and download a commercial vendor or crafter application, or write to festival@DowntownFarmington.org. Space is limited.

Alley Regalley

Okay, this isn't exactly new, but it's back and better than ever. After a brief hiatus, this softer, more romantic social venue will offer fine food and wine, with music from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The full lineup is on the Alley Regalley website. This year, look for Alley Regalley behind Village Mall off Farmington Road.

Antique Market

Antique lovers now have a home at the Founders Festival, located by Thayer-Rock Funeral Home at Women’s Park. This helps tie all of the activities east of Farmington to the historical component of the festival, starting with the History Booth on the lawn in front of City Hall and ending with the Governor Warner Mansion. If you'd like to participate, you'll find a vendor application on the festival website.

Farmers Market Location

Last year, the Farmington Farmers and Artisans Market was relocated to Memorial Park, away from the main festival action east of Farmington Road. This year, the market will be in the thick of things on Saturday morning, just west of its usual location at the .

To learn more, visit foundersfestival.com.