CULLMAN — The 2011 Sweet Tater Festival is just around the corner. What better place to celebrate the sweet potato than the county which produces the most sweet potatoes in the state of Alabama? Of course, all the sweet potatoes will come from right here in Cullman County. The festival will be held in Crane Hill, Sunday, Sept. 4, from 1 to 4 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 5, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This is the 15th year for the annual event. The 2011 festival, which coincides with Labor Day, promises to be the best yet. With lots of great baked goods for sale, arts and crafts for adults and children, kiddie rides, a flea market and door prizes, there is something for everyone.

Held at Dowling Memorial Park, the festival attracts people from all over the Southeast. It is one of the top 10 festivals in the state for the month of September. Last year over 4,000 people attended the Sweet Tater Festival to enjoy the great music, wonderful food and the family atmosphere that has made the festival so popular.

“We have more vendors this year than ever before,” said event spokesperson, Tony Leonardi. “So far there are 80 vendors from all over the Southeast, who will bring arts and crafts, food and live entertainment, including Elvis and Willie Nelson impersonators.”

Among those vendors you’ll find handcrafted birdhouses, lots of purses, baby clothes and a wide selection of jewelry of all kinds — and that’s just a sample of what’s in store at the Sweet Tater Festival.

There will be plenty of good Southern comfort food, including fresh baked sweet potato pie, a favorite “Old South” delicacy, prepared by Seven Winds Kitchen in the nearby Logan community. Of course there will the festival’s usual $1 hot dogs, which disappear as fast as they come off the grill. 

On Sunday there will be gospel music, including, among others, an a cappella performance by Sandra Watts, who is a crowd favorite.  

“The Sweet Tater Festival is a ‘don’t miss’ annual event for everyone who loves arts and crafts, good food and gospel music,” said Maggie Owens, proprietor of  The Anchor Light House Bed and Breakfast, a romantic hideaway about 10 minutes from the festival grounds.

“This is a beautiful area, and we love taking guests of the Anchor Light House around Smith Lake on the tugboat, ‘Maggie’,” she said. Her husband, Captain John, is glad to share stories and points of local interest while taking guests on a picturesque cruise along the peaceful shores of pristine Lewis Smith Lake, another of North Alabama’s jewels.

The historic community of Crane Hill, circa 1806, is home to several cottage industries whose products and services extend worldwide. The natural beauty of the area and the simple lifestyle at the foot of the legendary Appalachian Mountains invites visitors to explore while they are in the area for the festival. There is much scenic beauty here in addition to the lake and the mountains, such as the cowcumber magnolia tree which blooms in the spring. The cowcumber dates back to prehistoric times and is an attraction for both nature lovers and hikers.

Crane Hill was named for the blue crane, which is indigenous to the area. Other birds, waterfowl and animals abound in this corner of North Alabama, making it one of the most unspoiled areas in the region.

The festival also attracts people who love to eat, for here you will find some of the best, mouth-watering baked goods and sweet potatoes in all forms. “There will be 5,000 pounds of locally grown sweet potatoes for sale at the festival,” said Leonardi. “There will also be baked sweet potatoes to eat on the spot.”

Wesley Abbott, an accomplished potter will be here for the 14th time. Abbott will display his handcrafted pottery, give impromptu talks about the craft, and explain the history and importance of pottery throughout the years.

Any artist who can draw, paint and hang their artwork during the festival will be provided with free space. Vendor forms are available at www.sweettaterfestival.com

From Interstate-65, take Alabama Highway 278 and follow the orange signs which will point the way to the Sweet Tater Festival, approximately 17 miles from I-65. There is a map on the website, along with other information about the festival. You may also contact Tony Leonardi at 256-531-7916 or 256-747-8635 or Sherry Brown at 256-636-5887.