Town of Red Bay prepares for annual Founders Day
It’s less than a month away: Red Bay Founders Day will begin Sept. 20 from 6-8 p.m. at Heritage Park, where Resound and the Red Bay FFA String Band will perform, with fireworks to follow.
Saturday’s festivities will be at Bay Tree Park beginning at 8:30 a.m., kicking off with the Queen’s Train with winners from the Sept. 15 Red Bay Founders Fest Pageant.
Music will begin at 9 a.m. on two stages – the main stage outside and a second stage in the senior center.
All of the community’s favorite events and activities will return this year. There will be a fried pie contest under the gazebo, where visitors can receive fried pie samples, and cash prizes will be awarded for the best-tasting pie and the most unusual pie. Guests can find the quilt contest, coloring contest and photography contest at the Weatherford Library, and there will be a buck dancing contest at the main stage.
“I love the buck dancing contest,” said Chairperson Tracie Clark. “It’s been around since I was a child in the early days of Founders Fest, and I brought it back because my family has always enjoyed buck dancing. It’s just a real crowd pleaser. Everybody gets into it and loves it.”
Clark said she recommends everyone bring their lawn chairs and enjoy a day of free fun and festivities.
Red Bay Mayor Charlene Fancher said Founders Fest has a lot of fun activities to offer, but her favorite part is being surrounded by the Red Bay community.
“I just love being in the park and being able to meet and greet with people that I haven’t seen in a long time,” Fancher said. “I just love seeing Bay Tree Park full.”
Prizes will be given out throughout the day, including prizes for the largest family, longest distance traveled to the festival, youngest attendee and oldest attendee at the main stage after lunch.
An antique car-truck-motorcycle-tractor show will open registration from 8 a.m. to noon with awards at 1 p.m. Cost is $20 registration fee and $15 for a second entree from the same address. There will be awards for best paint, best engine and more.
Cost is $10 to register to show a vehicle without entering the contest. The entrance for the car show will be beside Heritage Park.
All proceeds from the antique car-truck-motorcycle-tractor show will go toward the senior center.
Festival attendees can donate blood through LifeSouth at City Hall, and they can also visit the museum and tour the traveling bicentennial exhibit “Making Alabama,” which will be at the Red Bay Museum from Sept. 9-28.
A variety of activities will be offered for children, including rides and arts and crafts.
“There’s something for every age,” Clark said. “Just come out and enjoy.”
