By By Arthur McLean
Hurricane Ivan may have ripped through Atmore, but the hardships of the past weeks give us all the more reason to celebrate Atmore during Williams Station Day.
That's why Williams Station Day is still on for Saturday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. along several blocks of Pensacola Avenue starting at the Atmore Lions Community Center.
The festival, organized by the Atmore Chamber of Commerce, has become a highlight on the area calendar, which is why chamber members recommitted themselves to holding the event just over a month after Ivan.
"We want to say no matter the storms of life, Atmore will prosper in the future," said Wesley Channell, the Atmore Chamber of Commerce's board president. "We want to celebrate with our traditional celebrations, with the emphasis that nothing can knock us down."
The festival will feature musical entertainment, arts and crafts, food vendors and much more.
It is sponsored by Pepsi, United Bank, Frontier Communications and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
The participation of volunteers and other community businesses help make the festival run smoothly.
For those interested in sharing their handiwork with the world, spots are still open for the arts and crafts and other vendors at the festival. Call the chamber at 368-3305 for more information.
Special commemorative T-shirts will be available at the festival featuring this year's artwork for the show and emblazoned with the slogan, "Ivan's gone, the party's still on!" T-shirts will be available at the festival.
The aptly nicknamed "Hurricane Wilson" will lead off the musical entertainment that also features The Master's Mean and the Hwy. 99 Band.
The Alabama &Gulf Coast Railroad will have some of its trains on display, and a model train display will also be on view.
More music will fill the air from the Old Time Fiddler's Tent, sponsored by First National Bank, and the heralded storyteller Wanda Johnson will make a return appearance at Williams Station Day.
The YMCA will host a 5k run, a real cane mill will be in operation, and a pumpkin contest will be held for the kids.
The Cruisers will have their classic cars on display at Heritage Park, a tennis tournament will be held and a hayride will be offered, sponsored by the Rotary Club.
For more information about events, call the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce at 368-3305. More information about events will also be in future issues of the Atmore Advance.