By By MaryClaire Foster
Kickoff for the 17th annual Williams Station Day began Monday with the first sale of the event’s T-shirts to Atmore Mayor Howard Shell.
Preparations for the event, to be held on Oct. 25, are in the final stages and Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheryl Vickery said they are busy finishing up and things are going well.
President Allen Walston said the T-shirt sales are always the local kickoff that gets interest sparked in the event.
Two of the main events for the celebration are the juried fine art show and the fine craft show. Vickery said there are still spaces available for both shows and the chamber will be accepting applications until Oct. 21.
This year the event has added a children’s art village where arts and crafts activities will be available to children and a clown will be at the tent as well. “Riverboat John” Ferguson will be performing at the tent as well.
To support the festival artists featured in the shows, the chamber has a Patrons of the Arts program where contributors donate $100 and receive it back in play money to give to the vendors who can then redeem it for cash.
Those who participate in the Patron’s program will also be invited to a patron’s party at Annie’s Community Cup the Friday night before Williams Station Day.
Saturday’s events begin with a 5K run. There will also be an Old Time Fiddler’s tent, a storytelling tent featuring Deloris Gibson and Joseph Trimble, a model train show inside the YMCA, old time cane milling, Alabama and Gulfcoast Railroad locomotive and a Poarch Creek Indian cultural display.
Performing at the main entertainment stage are the Alabama Blues Brothers who will be joined on the center stage by Acoustic Soul, Roy Harper, “Riverboat John” Ferguson and country artist Dew Pennington.
Besides the arts and crafts tent, children can enjoy hayrides, train rides and a pumpkin painting and carving contest.
A host of vendors will be selling a variety food.
Vickery said there is still a need for patrons as well as volunteers and those interested should contact the chamber at 368-3305.