Every fall when the leaves start to turn and there’s a little nip in the air, folks start anticipating the Dowling Memorial Park Sweet Tater Festival.

Although last year’s festival was a wash-out (pun intended) this year promises to be the best yet. “Last year tropical depression, Lee, knocked the wind out of our sails,” said festival coordinator, Tony Leonardi. “We had to call the festival officially over in the middle of the afternoon.”

After the water receded a bit, Leonardi and several volunteers distributed 5,000 pounds of sweet potatoes, and 100 sweet potato pies around the community. “We took lots of them to the food banks around town,” explained Leonardi. “We sold the pies in several local convenience stores, and took the rest to a beauty shop where they sold them for us.”

In the festival’s 16 year history it has only been rained out twice. Hopefully, Hurricane Isaac won’t dampen this year’s event.

“We have almost 100 vendors and are expecting about 4,000 people this year,” said Leonardi.

The festival always draws big crowds. People love the entertainment and the great food, not to mention the wide array of merchandise from all kinds of vendors and the food tents with tantalizing smells wafting over the open meadow where the festival is held. Here you’ll find everyone’s favorite festival foods, like funnel cake, shaved ice, local honey, ribbon fries, Amish delicacies, exotic coffee’s and fried pies of every description; apple, peach, and sweet potato included.

Then you’ll want to find the lemonade stand for a long cool drink before making a trip to visit the other vendors.

You’ll find handcrafted jewelry and soy candles, Native American crafts, unique bird houses and feeders, children’s apparel, purses, toys, and home improvement products. There’s something for everyone at the Sweet Tater Festival.

This year the festival is extending an open invitation to all artists who wish to hang their work at the festival. “Those artists who paint and draw will not be charged an entry fee,” said Leonardi.

Entry fee for other vendors is $70, with an extra $20 fee for electricity, for the two-day event.

For visitors to the festival, the admission charge is $3 per person. “The first 2500 people will automatically get a voucher for a free hot dog,” said Leonardi.

Every hour, on the hour, there will be a drawing for prizes, like generous gift cards from Wal-Mart and free-gasoline vouchers for Jet-Pep.  

There is also a Miss Sweet Potato Beauty Pageant this year for ages birth to 18 years. The pageant will be held prior to the festival. Deadline for entering has been extended. The date for the pageant is Saturday, August 25 at 12:00 noon. It will be held at the Hanceville Rec Center, where forms can be picked up, or you can visit elitepageant.com for more information. Entrance fee for contestants is $40.00. Girls should wear Sunday best or pageant dress. Winners will be invited to preside at the festival.

The festival also offers great entertainment in a wide variety, sure to please folks of all ages.

Sunday, September 2, the festivities kick off a high noon with the following line-up;

Cathy Sharpe, a talented Nashville gospel entertainer

1:00 FM Classic Country Duo (country/gospel)

2:00 The ‘real’ James Taylor (Cullman guitarist)

3:00  Tall Timber Medicine Show, a variety show that will have you falling out of your seat with laughter

Monday (Labor Day) September 3

8:00 am Jake Mann a local Crane Hill entertainer

9:00 Taylor McLain, vocalist

10:00 Harmony Four- Accapella gospel

11:00 Australia’s #1 Country Singer, Charlie Painter

12:00 noon, local Willie Nelson impersonator, Johny Wayne Abbott

1:00 Traci Hite, a talented vocalist reminiscent of the late Patsy Cline

2:00 Elvis impressionist Terry Padgett, returning by popular demand for the sixth year.

There will also be kiddy rides, giant blow-ups and games galore, as well as visiting candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Dr. Wesley Abbott, a master potter whose work is much sought-after, will be bringing his collection of hand-thrown pottery. Abbott has been a supporter and a vendor at the Sweet Tater Festival since its inception.

All proceeds from the Sweet Tater Festival go towards the upkeep and improvement of the historic Dowling School. The festival is held each year on its  grounds.

The school building itself burned in 1996, leaving the detached lunchroom and kitchen unharmed. Local residents hated to see the remainder of their school destroyed, so the festival was conceived to help with repairs.

Over the years there has been the addition of a second restroom, routine repairs to the building, plumbing, and lawn maintenance, all paid for with funds from the festival.

Today the lunchroom serves as a community meeting place for several civic groups. The area little league teams practice on the adjoining field.

This is a case where the people in the community saw a need and stepped up to the plate to ensure that a piece of their history wasn’t destroyed. Your support in this effort is greatly appreciated.

For more information, visit sweettaterfestival.com  or contact Tony Leonardi, 256-531-7916, or Sherry Brown, 256-636-5887.