By Katie Bohannon, News Editor
While the third week in October typically brings Attalla Heritage Day to the gateway to northeast Alabama, COVID-19 brought the popular festival to a screeching halt.
Although the beloved annual event will not take place this year, the City Council developed an alternative solution to make up for the loss. On Saturday, October 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the city of Attalla will host its first-ever fall festival.
The fall festival will serve as a smaller replacement for Heritage Day, but with all the fun and entertainment Attalla has to offer. With a similar setup to Heritage Day, the fall festival will take place in downtown Attalla. All downtown stores, boutiques and shops will remain open for the festival.
Like Heritage Day, Attalla’s fall festival will feature a collection of talented musicians to entertain guests as they meander through downtown. The setlist includes Attalla’s Jeremy Noble, who was recently named Southern Rock Vocalist of the Year at The Josie Awards in Pigeon Forge, Birmingham’s smooth II Da Maxx and the soulful, bluesy Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble from Creole country in Louisiana.
While guests enjoy listening to the plethora of music filtering throughout the festival, they can visit several vendors displaying crafts, homemade items and unique finds. A variety of food vendors will also set up shop at the festival, offering anything from delicious BBQ and turkey legs to irresistible donuts.
A limited children’s zone will be available with a few games and rides, which will be sanitized in between each use. Masks are required to attend the event and no pets are allowed. The city will provide a limited number of masks on hand for those without face coverings.
“I think it’s something fun for the community and something we do to serve the community and give back,” said the city of Attalla’s Library Director Lisa Spears. “Personally, I enjoy running into people and friends. We have a lot of people that come from out of town, from Birmingham, Huntsville and Atlanta [to Heritage Day]. So far, we’re supposed to have beautiful weather and we hope to have a good crowd. We want everybody to remember to wear their masks, because we’re doing all we can to keep everyone safe. We’re just asking that people cooperate with us so we can continue to do things like this.”