A cool breeze throughout the day kept the 31st Alabama Blueberry Festival from sweltering from the high heat on Saturday.
“We think the day went very well,” said Michelle Hart, administrative assistant of the Greater Brewton Area Chamber of Commerce. “Yes, it was hot, but a breeze every now and then kept it from being so bad. The breeze was strong enough at one point to blow one of the tents over.”
The new arrangement of the different areas of the festival was successful, Hart said. Having the food court, entertainment and children’s area in one place worked well, she said.
“People could go to the food area, get their food and sit in the entertainment area while at the same time watching their children play in the play area,” Hart said. “People really seemed to enjoy the set-up for the children’s activities. We had very good feedback, especially from the vendors. The shade was nice, and the layout worked very well. There were lines at the food vendors all day and all of them said they want to come back next year.”
The festival ended two hours early this year, but the crowd was the same.
“The crowd was steady all day,” Hart said. “People were still coming in when we were packing up to leave. The motorcycle and car show was very successful, as they always are. We had 85 craft spaces and only a few were not filled. We had a couple of vendors that were unable to attend at the last minute and I know people were expecting them. It was just beyond their control and ours.”