Southland Jubilee Calls for Volunteers

Southland Jubilee seeks volunteers in preparation for award-winning festival on April 19 in historic downtown Greensboro. 

There are numerous ways to get involved with this annual festival, whether you are helping vendors check in and set up the night before the festival or taking pictures of guests at the step and repeat photo booth throughout the day of the festival. No matter how strong or small, Southland Jubilee could use your help in getting ready for the region’s largest heritage arts festival. 

“Southland Jubilee simply would not happen without the support of volunteers who serve on the steering committee, help out during the weekend of the festival and give their own special skills and talents to serve our community,” stated Community Development Director, Cail Hammons. 

Whether you’re a night owl, an early bird or a late riser, there is a way for everyone to help. Volunteer shifts begin on Friday, April 18. From 5:30 – 8 p.m., volunteers will assist with vendor check in, decorating the Main Stage and setting up tables and chairs.

Volunteer shifts also take place throughout the day on Saturday, April 19; with the first shift beginning at 6:30 a.m. and the last beginning at 4 p.m. Morning shifts include assisting with vendor check in, helping set up tents and decorating entrance ways. Afternoon shifts include running Southland Jubilee Headquarters, selling merchandise, giving out information and taking pictures. At the end of the festival, volunteers are needed to help clean up, remove decorations from entranceways, assist vendors with taking down tents and packing up Southland Jubilee Headquarters. Without the help of volunteers, Southland Jubilee would not be the award-winning festival that it has become. 

Some members of the community make it their mission to volunteer each year at the festival to help in the efforts of its success. Mary Helen Higdon Brewer made volunteering at Southland Jubilee a part of her annual routine since 2005 and she keeps coming back for more. 

“I grew up coming to Southland Jubilee each spring, so getting to be on the inside is a lot of fun,” said Brewer. “I had no idea how much planning and hard work it takes to make Southland Jubilee happen.”

Over the last nine years, Brewer has been on Main Street well before dawn, wearing her Southland Jubilee volunteer shirt and ready to help wherever she is needed. Over the years, she has registered festival vendors, set up tents, moved hay bales, manned road barricades and even square danced on stage at Festival Hall. 

Brewer has just about done it all when it comes to helping prepare for the annual festival and her selfless efforts have not gone unrecognized. Brewer was awarded with the Best Volunteer title at the silver level at the Southeast Festivals and Events Kaleidoscope Awards in Savannah, Ga., on Feb. 18. 

“Yes, I get up really early to help organize on the day of the festival, but it’s fun to greet everyone and see how excited they are about the festival,” said Brewer. 

For those who are interested in volunteering, please contact Kendrick Harris at kharris@greensboroga.gov. 

For more information about Southland Jubilee, please visit www.SouthlandJubilee.com. 

About Southland Jubilee

Southland Jubilee is a day-long heritage arts festival that takes place in the heart of historic downtown Greensboro. Southland Jubilee is produced by the Greensboro Better Hometown Program and the Greensboro Downtown Development Authority with support from the City of Greensboro. Since its beginning in 1998, this annual spring festival has been downtown Greensboro’s main community event and has developed the reputation across the region as a quality heritage arts and family festival. The festival’s goal is to attract people to the town with the hope that they will return to the community and future events.