By By Kerry Whipple Bean
Publisher
As part of a statewide tourism effort, Brewton and East Brewton officials are encouraging residents and churches to celebrate a special homecoming to coincide with the Alabama Blueberry Festival next year.
The weekend celebration actually coincides with three major events — the 125th anniversary of Brewton; the 30th anniversary of the blueberry festival; and the state’s “Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns.”
Brewton Community Development Director Steve Yuhasz said the city and event organizers are encouraging churches to join the celebration by holding homecomings on that weekend.
Getting churches involved by hosting homecomings could help bring more residents back to their hometown to celebrate, he said.
Many churches hold homecomings in the summer, he said, so the city is encouraging them to hold them on the weekend of June 18-20, 2010.
A committee is planning several special activities to coincide with the Alabama Blueberry Festival, including the dedication of a historical marker at the Bank of Brewton; the placing of a wreath at the grave of Brewton’s namesake in Pilgrims’ Rest Cemetery; a fireworks show; and even a possible music festival.
Several other activities are in the works as well, Yuhasz said.
As part of its promotion of “Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns,” the Alabama Tourism Department will publish a book that features photographs and a brief history of each participating town. The books will be sold in stores all over Alabama.