By Martha J. Henderson

Special Sections Editor

There's so much fun to be had at the annual Carthage Buggy Festival that just one day can't contain it all.

To offer festival-goers even more to experience, event organizers have stretched the family-fun festival to include Friday evening.

The 24th annual Carthage Buggy Festival kicks off with an evening of history, music, food and fun Friday, May 11.

From 6 to 9 p.m., Nancy Kiser Park in Carthage will be filled with a display of antique firetrucks, a cruise-in of classic cars, live music provided by the Crawley Creek Company, and grilled burgers and hot dogs.

The Carthage Firefighters Association has invited departments from all over to bring their antique firetrucks to be part of the show. For the past two years, the antique firetrucks show has been a growing attraction for the evening.

While the group hopes to have most, if not all, of the area's antique firetrucks at the show, it all depends on which ones will run when it's time to fire them up and drive them to Carthage for the event, says a spokesperson for the association.

Several firetrucks from the county and a few from out of the county are expected. There will be two antique firetrucks from Carthage. These include a 1945 Seagrave fire engine and a 1932 Chevrolet fire engine.

During the evening, trophies will be awarded to antique firetruck show participants for -oldest firetruck and farthest traveled. The public will have an opportunity to vote on their choice for Best of Show, which also will be awarded during Friday night's -festivities.

Classic car buffs can get a -preview of Saturday's car show as members of the Sandhills Classic Street Rod Association display their vehicles at the park on Friday evening.

The public is invited to come out and enjoy live musical -performances by the Crawley Creek Company. A local band featuring brothers Wayne and Max Livengood, as well as Mark Fry, Austin Cameron and Noah Richardson, the Crawley Creek Company plays a combination of country, modern and gospel, mixed up with a bluegrass sound.

The Carthage Historical Museum, including Tyson's Kitchen, also will be open to festival-goers from 5 to 9 p.m. The museum houses relics of Carthage's past, from old tools and vintage buggies to historical clothing and photos from the early 1900s.

The Carthage Garden Club will be holding a fundraiser bake sale inside Tyson's Kitchen next to the museum, from 5 to 9 p.m., as part of the Buggy Festival activities.

There also will be a bouncy house for the kids and, once they've worked up an appetite, you can treat them and yourself to a hot dog or hamburger. Members of the Carthage Firefighters Association will be selling hot dogs and hamburgers throughout the evening.