RURAL HERITAGE DAY & PEPPER JELLY FESTIVAL APRIL 25, 2009 THOMASTON, AL

Weeks of preparation went into the planning of the BBAC's participation in the Rural Heritage Day and Pepper Jelly Festival April 25, 2009.   

From the very beginning, the Festival Committee embraced our planning committee and worked harmoniously with us throughout the planning process.  It was a cooperative effort with assistance from the Town of Thomaston, the City of Linden, the City of Thomasville, the Marengo County Commission and Marengo County Rescue Squad and the Linden National Guard Armory.

The weather was perfect!  Our red and white BBAC Tent was the focal point of the festival and we had a number of people come by the tent and look at the storyboards, get t-shirts, balloons, bottled water and view the BBAC video.

We all wore the festival T-shirts were designed by Madden and Associates in Selma.   Laurie Stewart was in charge of that project and she did a fantastic job. Bottled water was purchased from Gee's Bend Water in Camden.  Storyboards were positioned outside and inside the tent with information about various BBAC projects.

Sponsors included the following:
    Alabama-Tombigbee Regional Council
    Alabama Department of Tourism and Travel
    Alabama Child Caring Foundation
    Alabama Small Business Consortium
    Commissioner Fred Armstead, Marengo County - Sears - Flat Screen TV
    Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP - Sponsored the BBAC Tent and bottled water
    Black Belt Community Foundation - Gee's Bend Quilters
    Black Belt Treasures -  Kristen Law, Pottery demonstration
    ADECA - Storyboards, Programs, Invitations, Nametags, Press Releases and support staff.
    Colonial Pipeline Company
    City of Demopolis
    Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood
    University Center for Economic Development
    New Era Cap Company - sponsored Charlie Lucas, artist

Promotion of the festival included television, radio and newspaper, as well as email.  Margaret and Cindy appeared on WSFA Live April 22nd.  I did a promo interview with WVAS 90.7 in Montgomery, as well as an APT spot.  A press release was prepared by ADECA and sent to all newspaper outlets in the state, including those in the Black Belt and Cindy Neilson got the local radio station, WINL 98.5, to promote the festival as well.  All Project Managers were encouraged to send out email ads/invitations for the festival and a notice was sent several times to all ADECA employees making them aware of the day's activities.   Approximately 300 invitations were mailed from ADECA to Probate Judges, Mayors, County Commissions, Superintendents of Education, and other elected officials in the Black Belt.  Senator Sanders and Margaret did a great job talking about the Black Belt Action Commission on stage.

Entertainment was nonstop, from the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the festival to Billie Jean Young's one woman show.  Kathryn Tucker Windham held the crowd spellbound for about 45 minutes and the Gee's Bend Quilters entertained the crowd much to their delight.  Special treats included the Lowndes County Drama Group and the Voices of Camden.  We appreciate these talented young people participating.  Not only was the entertainment great, the food was just as good.  The fire department cooked some delicious ribs and you would not believe the home made ice cream prepared by a local couple.  I asked the gentlemen how many freezers of ice cream he had made and he told me by the end of the day he will have made 29!  It was delicious!

Even after the festival, we continued to get attention!  All of you should have gotten the press release about the farmer in Pulaski, Tennessee.   He found balloons in his field that happened to get away when we were packing up for the day.  He saw the ad for the festival and called the Thomaston Police Department to find out abut the festival and promised to be there next year!  That's what you call publicity!

ALL IN ALL, it was a very successful day and I think a lot more people now know about the good things being accomplished by the BBAC.