Downtown streets to close Sept. 22-24 for International Folk Festival

The annual International Folk Festival will cause multiple street and parking lot closures downtown from Friday to Sunday, according to a news release.

The following streets will be closed beginning at 4:30 p.m. Friday:

• 100, 200, 300 and 400 blocks of Hay Street.
• Ray Avenue from Maiden Lane to Franklin Street.
• Burgess and Anderson streets at Old Street.
• Maxwell and Donaldson streets at Franklin Street.
• Market Square Round-a-Bout from Green Street at Old, Street, Gillespie and Franklin streets.

The road closures remain in effect overnight Friday. With the Parade of Nations on Saturday, closures will expand at 7 a.m. on Ray Avenue to Rowan and Person streets, North Cool Spring Street. Mason Street will also close at Arch Street

The parade route starts at Cool Spring Street and moves along Hay Street to Ray Avenue. The parade return route moves along Ray Avenue to Maiden Lane going across Green Street ending at the courthouse, the release said.

The following street closures will remain in place after the conclusion of the parade until  9 p.m. Sunday.

• 300 and 400 blocks of Hay Street.
• Ray Avenue from Rowan to Franklin streets.
• Mason Street at Arch Street.
• Maiden and Old streets at Burgess Street.

Ray Avenue will reopen at Franklin Street for churchgoers to access Old Street at 7 a.m. Sunday and will close again at 11:45 a.m., the release said.

The street closures will affect Fayetteville Area System of Transit bus routes 4 and 5. Riders are asked to plan for alternative routes and allow additional travel time. Updates to the schedule will be provided. For more information, go to  RideFAST.net or call (910) 433-1747.

For questions about the International Folk Festival or associated closures, call the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County at 910-323-1776. For questions about Fourth Friday, call Cool Spring Downtown District at 910-223-1089.

The CityView News Fund is a nonprofit organization that supports CityView’s newsgathering operation. Will you help us with a tax-deductible donation?