Interactive map of festival available online

With so much going on during the Franklin County Watermelon Festival, it’s sometimes hard to figure out where everything is.
Where can you get a glass of lemonade? Where is the Franklin County Cattleman’s Association selling their steak sandwiches? Where can the free watermelon be found? Where is the nearest place to use the bathroom?
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Director Cassie Medley said they are proud to announce they will be able to provide answers to all those questions in a new way this year.
“Thanks to Michael Hughes and the county’s GIS program, we’ll have an interactive map of the festival this year,” Medley said. “Instead of trying to remember where everything is or trying to track down a festival official to ask for directions, you can simply look at this interactive map.
“It will show what roads will be blocked off so residents can plan a different route downtown; it will show where to get the free watermelon and where different foods and vendors are located; it will show where you can use the bathroom and several other things.”
Medley said festival goers will be able to pull the map up from their smartphones with a mobile app or from two different websites and know exactly where they need to go.
Medley said the map would be accessible starting today from www.franklincountychamber.org and www.russellvilleal.org. You can also view it directly here: Watermelon Festival Map.
“We really appreciate Michael and everyone who had a hand in this for making this possible because it will be a great help to the community,” Medley said.
“And those who aren’t as technology savvy as others don’t have to worry – we’ll also have physical maps available at the Chamber office downtown for those who can’t access the maps online or by smartphone.”