Food, fun and friendship — that’s the menu at Nazareth Children’s Home this weekend during its annual Nazareth Fun Fest plus a new and special Customer Appreciation Weekend at the Thrift Shop.

The Fun Fest will begin Friday morning and run through Sunday with a massive program offering something for everyone on the big stage “under the big top” made especially for this weekend by devoted Nazareth supporter Anne Ketner.

But Customer Appreciation Weekend starts today and will run through the weekend.

It’s aimed at introducing new customers to the Thrift Store, says manager Gloria Black, as well as showing appreciation to old customers who have been shopping at Nazareth’s store for many years.

“People think we’re the church for the Children’s Home,” she says, because it was the church, the boys home, the school, the “everything” at the beginning. Today it sells clothing, furniture, housewares, exercise equipment and anything else people donate.

So to raise awareness and better the business, the store will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 today through Saturday, offering numerous sale items and giving away a multitude of door prizes, including a wide assortment of gift certificates for tanning, oil changes, car washes, food, tractor supplies, and a big grand prize on Saturday.

The purpose, Black says, “is to let people know we are a facility that takes in donations and sells merchandise.”

The purpose of the Fun Fest is fun and seeing old friends and raising money to take care of the children at the home, says Linda Benge, director of human services and community relations.

Events will begin tomorrow with an all day craft fair, hamburgers and hot dogs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., bingo in the gym from 4 to 8, and a performance by the High Rock Shag Club during the evening.

Saturday will be the big day.

The program will open at 10 a.m., and, in addition to the usual food and craft displays, will include introduction of the Nazareth board members, the Chapeleers Gospel Quartet, the Uncle George Magical Show, and the Catalinas performing live on stage from noon until 4 p.m.

The Lyerly reunion will take place at noon at the Goodson Shelter, alumni will meet in the cafeteria at 1, the Crescent Cloggers will perform at 4:30 and the Canaan Five Gospel Group at 5.

Drawings will take place throughout the day which will also feature a moon walk, games for young people, displays of fire trucks, boats, NASCAR cars, police and sheriff’s department vehicles as well as clowns and animals from the Metrolina Zoo.

Dr. Alan King, principal of South Rowan High School, will speak at the morning worship at 10 a.m. on Sunday, and brunch will follow the service in the Nazareth cafeteria.

Contact Rose Post at 704-797-4251 or rpost@salisburypost.com .