Alyssa Tennant with Rhododendron Ice Cream presents Williamstown resident Maribeth Tanner with a tub of ice cream during the Relay for Life of Williamstown in 2023. This year’s Williamstown Relay For Life Food Truck & Vendor Festival will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tomlinson Park. (File photo)

WILLIAMSTOWN – The Williamstown Relay For Life Food Truck & Vendor Festival will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tomlinson Park.

Last year, the Relay For Life event format was changed to rekindle interest and attract more people to the annual event, which raises funds for the American Cancer Society’s efforts to fight cancer and support patients and families affected by it.

“Last year was our first time and everyone had a lot of fun,” said Carmen Hathaway, senior development manager at the American Cancer Society. “We look forward to repeating this great time with many more.

“The weather is forecast to be nice.”

Eighteen food and merchandise vendors will set up their stalls in the park and pay a flat fee to the society.

Food trucks include The Hangry House, Leslie’s Grub, Qdoba, Rhodendron Ice Cream, The Sister Samurai, Sno Biz (Iced Up), Spun Sweetly, Cookie Caboose and Sips Coffee.

Merchandise vendors include First Presbyterian Church, Thirty One-Kim Hunt, Craft-Jessica Rawson, Plants Etc., Paint With Joy, Basket Maker, Wax Melts, County Line Styles and Joy’s Glass.

The second annual Golf Cart Poker Run will take place from 10 a.m. to noon and will begin and end at Tomlinson Park. Organizers welcome golf carts, side-by-sides, electric bikes and lawn tractors. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for children under 10.

The event takes place in the neighborhoods of Williamstown, where participants visit five designated stations for an activity and draw a card for a poker hand or a Go Fish card. There are cash prizes and a $2 voucher for a food truck or vendor per adult ticket.

Tickets are available at Haircutters and the Williamstown Antique Mall or by calling 304-482-4657.

Those without a golf cart can rent one from KMA Auto in Marietta for $20. Interested parties must call KMA at 740-538-8502 by noon Friday. Carts will be delivered to the venue.

The Crusin’ For A Cure Car Show will be held from noon to 4 p.m. and will showcase a number of vintage and classic cars, but Hathaway said they would like to bring a variety of vehicles into the show, from electric cars to hybrids to sports cars, so people have a chance to see them.

Last year’s car show had 60-75 attendees. Check-in is done as people arrive.

Bingo is being held at the Fireman’s Shelter in Tomlinson Park. For $20 you can play 20 games.

Seating is limited to 70 players. Doors open at 12:00pm, games start at 1:30pm. Various prizes will be awarded.

There will also be some bouncy castle-like things for children to play on.

Williamstown Strings and Waverly Run provide live music.

Since the event is taking place in the afternoon rather than the evening, the traditional luminaria tribute will be replaced with wind chimes. The wind chimes will be sold for $15 and there will be a place to engrave the name of a person suffering from cancer.

“People can then take them home and have a souvenir,” Hathaway said.

Thanks to the change in format, last year’s guests had a lot of fun, Hathaway said.

“I hope people come and bring their families,” she said. “It’s a fun event for the whole family.”

For further information please see “Williamstown, WV, Relay for Life” Facebook page.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at [email protected].