Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

Heavy rain could not stop festivalgoers from flocking to Manchester for the eighth annual Good Friends Music Fest.

The event was held across two days at Common John Brewing Co. for the first and Rotary Park Amphitheater for the second.

Trish Fryman, who manned the merchandise tent for both days of the festival and whose son Chris handles a lot of the logistics for Good Friends, said seeing the festival come together was amazing.

“When you walk in and you see all the people and they came in for this show, we’re proud of them,” she said. “I’m proud to be a mom that they asked to come join them.”

Fryman’s son Chris and festival organizer Logan Eley grew up together as did she and Logan’s mother, Diane, as well. She noted that she really enjoys getting to connect with festival attendees.

“I enjoy meeting everybody and seeing everybody’s face light up,” explained Fryman. “They just have a good time out here, and it’s bringing the community together.”

The festival featured a lineup of musical acts such as reggae band Natti Love Joys, Eley’s band Steady Rotation, and Airshow among others.

In addition to the music, there was also a large group of vendors on hand at the festival.

Local artisan Annette Phillips whose business Southern Forever Candles and More specializes in wood wick candles and baked good said that she enjoys the festival for its atmosphere.

“You really enjoy listening to the music,” she said. “I’m working, but I’m not working.”

Phillips also explained that she enjoys getting to connect with and meet some of the newer faces in Manchester where she was born and raised.

“People like the fact that I’m local, and it’s fun meeting new local people,” she noted. “I don’t know people here anymore; this town has grown so much. So when we have events like this, we get to meet our new neighbors and stuff.”

For over 20 years, Phillips has made unique candles. It started as a hobby, and then when she worked at Manchester Medical Center, she made them for fundraisers and then eventually opened her business.

A baker since the 4-H program in school, Phillips also sells homemade breads and other items. A new offering that she brought to the Good Friends Festival was sourdough chocolate chip cookies, which she experimented with the week leading up to the festival.

“I just love them,” she said. “They’re really good.”

Another local vendor who set up at the festival was DMV Blended Creations operated by Dawn Van Zandbergen. DMV has been a regular at Good Friends over the last few years.

Van Zandbergen, based out of Manchester, first heard about the festival on Facebook. She gave a lot of praise to Eley for always connecting with her before the festival.

“He always reaches out to me when it’s time, and he makes it so easy,” she noted.

Van Zandbergen started out selling tumblers and then moved into also selling hats after her family urged her to. Now she sells a variety of items.

She said it’s important to maintain and support the local aspect of the festival.

“It’s a really big thing for me and my husband, so we make sure that we try to do a lot of local stuff,” she said.

While she said she enjoys getting to talk with everybody and listening to the music, Van Zandbergen says her reason for enjoying the festival is simple:

“It’s just fun.”