PICKENS — It’s almost that time of year again, when Main Street Pickens will be lined up with classic cars as a live band fills the air with music.

The 2010 Azalea Festival kicks off Friday, April 16 with the Classic Car Cruise In, so if you have a car you want to show off come on out for the event.

There’s no application or entry fee to take part in the cruise, which will last from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

And Saturday morning, April 17, the festival will continue, starting at 8:30 a.m. with the 4th annual Azalea Festival 5K walk/run at Pickens High School.

Other festival activities will begin at 10 a.m. with the Clemson Sky Diving team parachuting above the main stage for the opening ceremonies, weather permitting.

The street will be filled with arts and crafts booths and the aroma of food being sold by local civic and non-profit agencies, including the annual Pickens Meals on Wheels Chili Cook Off on Lewis Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Anyone interested in being a contestant in the cook off or sponsoring it can call Meals on Wheels at 878-7650 or visit www.pcmow.org.

And, weather permitting, festival goers can catch a birds-eye view of Pickens by taking a helicopter ride at Bruce Field football stadium, or check out the city’s historical sites by taking a horse and carriage ride.

Also, this year, racing fans will get a chance to see Richard Childress Racing’s legendary No. 3 GM Goodwrench Monte Carlo driven by the late seven-time Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt. And the Richard Childress Race car simulator will also be on site from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

And of course music and other acts will highlight the festival, with performances on three stages throughout the day.

The Azalea Festival is sponsored by the Azalea Festival Planning Committee, the City of Pickens and the Pickens Chamber of Commerce.