By By MaryClaire Foster
The 36th annual Mayfest festival, held in Tom Byrne Park this Saturday, will provide fun and festivities for the entire community plus thousands of out of town visitors.
This year’s event is coming back strong with a wide variety of crafters, vendors and entertainment after last year’s Mayfest was cancelled due to inclement weather.
Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryl Vickery described the event as a local festival and said it is an event held for the community as well as for people from all around.
Besides artists, crafters and other vendors, there will be a wide variety of entertainment provided all day on the Gazebo Stage, see story page 4.
Vickery said that unlike Williams Station Day, Mayfest allows commercial vendors to come in and sell goods as well, offering even more variety to festival attendees.
With such a large amount of vendors, Vickery said it’s a perfect opportunity for gift buying.
Atmore Visual Arts Association is hosting Art in the Park, a tent with many artistic activities for children and the YMCA will be holding demonstrations of available programs in one of the park’s pavilions.
The annual Beautiful Baby Contest continues this year, see page 8 for more information and the Escambia County Habitat for Humanity is hosting a bicycle ride from Brewton to Atmore, see story page 7. Another highlight of the day is the Pied Piper of Percussion Petting Zoo hosted by Steve Gryb, see story page 5.
Activities/informational vendors
Emerald Coast Amusements, moonwalk, inflatable rides and rock climbing wall; Ponies Express, children’s pony rides and photos; Alfa Insurance, informational; Atmore Recycle Now, educational/informational; Atmore Women’s Club, fundraiser selling cookbooks; Atmore Lions Club, selling brooms and mops; Children’s Policy Council, Misty Kelly, informational about the effects of smoking/tobacco products and Ultimate Fitness’ Battle of the Bench.
Food Vendors
Lewis Concessions - funnel cakes, burgers, hot dogs, curly fries, corn dogs, chicken-on-a-stick; Robinsonville Baptist Church - shrimp boil (purchase tickets beforehand); Sister’s - fresh squeezed lemonade &shaved ice; Tin-Tin’s Food - shishkabobs (chicken, gator, shrimp), oriental food; Lunch Wagon Food - gyros pita, chicken pita, sausage, corn dogs, ribbon fries, philly steak, fruit cups, salad, rice; Red Hot Concessions - funnel cakes, fried candy bars, chicken-on-a-stick, chicken, shrimp, crawfish wraps, burgers, nachos, chicken tenders; Carroll Concessions - sausage dogs, bloomin onions, etc.; Alabama State Employees Association - BBQ sandwich plates, pickles; Bama Concessions - sausage po-boys, corn dogs, chicken-on-a-stick, fries, nachos, funnel cakes, hot dogs, chicken, shrimp, fish baskets and John Quinley - strawberry shortcake, banana splits, ice cream sundaes (using Blue Bell Ice Cream).
Crafters
Christine Hall, handmade purses, diaper bags, hairbows, skullcaps/welders caps; Elouise Miller, children’s facepainting, colored hair spray; Harvey Henrichs, dog diners, design own candle; Harold Nolen, kids-games - prizes are goldfish, stuffed toys; Bonnie Baxter, soft goods and candles; Rester’s Shoppe, purses, dresses, woodcrafts; Betty Schultz, children’s clothes, paintings Ooh La La Soaps; Jennifer Gillman, handcrafted goats’ milk soaps, organic body care products; Patsy Charles, handmade earrings; Amber Humphrey &Mariah Guidry, custom crosses; Leslie Muzingo/John Campbell, beaded jewelry, decoupage boxes, scrapbooks; Ronald &Ernestine Scruggs, wisteria &kudzu vine baskets, birdhouses, feeders, some sewing crafts; The Cotton Patch/David Pipkin, birdhouses, feeders, wind chimes, flower pot crafts, etc.; Crystal Creations by Juli &Teri, handcrafted jewelry: Swarovski crystals/glass pearls; Terri Sanders, homemade fudge; Eddie Christy, Sand Art; LaLoni &Doyle Kromer - LTD therapeutic jewelry &gifts, Magnetic hemitat jewelry, candles, baby quilts, cool ties, etc. and Joe Verhoestra, ceramics and handmade jewelry.
Commercial
Sarah Atkeison, air purification products and MonaVie nutritional supplements; Nette’s Boutique - Jeanette Boone, handbags, jewelry, toys, gift items, Rada Kitchen knives, etc.; Mary Peterson, Parklane Jewelry; Cristy Brantley, Mary Kay Products; Kim McCullough, Tupperware; David L. Kennedy, Hats / Handbags; Novus Auto Glass, Marketing materials, plastic polish demo, free wiper blades with windshield repair; Walnut Hill Farm Supply, lawn &garden goods, 2 cycle equipment
Mayfest is sponsored by Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union and Pepsi Bottling Co. and coordinated by the Chamber, whose corporate sponsor for 2009 is the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Events for the day will begin at 9:15 a.m. and end around 5 p.m.