Michael Babick | @MikeyBabick Saturday, November 1, over 20,000 people packed into the Downtown Carrollton city square for a full day of food, music, drinks and family fun hosted by Historic Downtown Carrollton Association. If you peeked around the corner, you could find the Social Media Delivered team in our office, conveniently located right next to the historic square, live tweeting and posting to Facebook throughout the event. We also had the opportunity to interact with festival goers, who were excited to listen to the nine bands perform and found themselves enjoying food from one of the many vendors and restaurants on the square.

This festival had more than music and food; there was plenty of family fun to be had. Whether it was the inflatable bounce house, bungee jumping on trampolines, video games, zip lining, slides, or carnival-style games, there was something for everyone. The Festival at the Switchyard was just as fun for the kids during the day as it was for the adults after dark.

The Carrollton Plaza Arts venue was filled with all sorts of performers, such as jugglers and storytellers, and there was never a shortage of performances on the mainstage.

This year’s Newman Smith High School student Rotary Club Winner, Kim Rivera, had the pleasure of being the first to perform when the festival opened at 11:00 a.m. Kim was followed up by performances from groups like Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, Jay Farrar (of Son Volt), Quiet Company, Maxx Band, Thunder Road, Sealion and The Orbans. This collection of performers provided a very eclectic mix of music sure to please everyone in the crowd.

It’s not every day that residents can find such a lively event in Downtown Carrollton, but when Carrollton puts on a festival, they pull out all the stops to make it an impressive and electrifying event, great for everyone. For those who couldn’t make it out, be sure to keep an eye on Festival at the Switchyard’s website for next year’s event date and performers. For those who did make it out, share your pictures with Downtown Carrollton on Facebook and Twitter and let us know who you would like to see on stage next year! In the meantime, join Downtown Carrollton for #CarrolltonChristmas Friday evening, Dec. 5, for the Candlelight Christmas and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for Christmas on the Square.