The 37th annual Banks County Holiday Festival was the topic for guest speaker Tim Harper at the monthly Banks County Convention and Visitors Bureau meeting on Wednesday, May 27, at Denny’s Restaurant, Banks Crossing.
Brantley Gilbert to perform at annual holiday festival
The festival is set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 4-6, in the park in downtown Homer.
Harper said five years ago he joined a group of six other people to work to try to keep the annual Holiday Festival going. The festival had started dying out, Harper said. The festival committee sells soft drinks each year to raise money to spend on the next year’s festival.
“This year, we are able to provide a big name performer for Saturday night’s entertainment,” Harper said. “We have signed a contract with Brantley Gilbert to perform from 8:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5. A variety of entertainment will be provided throughout the day on Saturday.”
The festival features a parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“This year, we are working to have a Shriners’ sanctioned parade,” Harper added.
Booths will be set up throughout the park displaying a variety of arts, crafts and food. Gospel singing will be featured on Sunday afternoon.
Harper said this year the Town of Homer’s 150th anniversary will be celebrated as well. In 2008, Banks County celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Harper asked: “What can we do to make this festival better for everybody?”
Harper told the group to think about this question and he would get back to them at the June meeting to see what ideas they had come up with.
Banks County CVB member Gordon Eanes suggested that information about the festival be displayed in the hotels and motels in the area to help promote the event.
CVB chairman Mark Valentine asked the CVB to consider supplying some banners at the Banks Crossing interchange promoting the event.
Valentine also made the suggestion that a page could be added to the Banks County CVB website that would promote the event. Valentine said a schedule of events could be posted on this page.
No action was taken on the suggestions made by Eanes and Valentine. The CVB committee will meet to discuss these items and a vote will be taken.
Harper said five years ago he joined a group of six other people to work to try to keep the annual Holiday Festival going. The festival had started dying out, Harper said. The festival committee sells soft drinks each year to raise money to spend on the next year’s festival.
“This year, we are able to provide a big name performer for Saturday night’s entertainment,” Harper said. “We have signed a contract with Brantley Gilbert to perform from 8:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5. A variety of entertainment will be provided throughout the day on Saturday.”
The festival features a parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“This year, we are working to have a Shriners’ sanctioned parade,” Harper added.
Booths will be set up throughout the park displaying a variety of arts, crafts and food. Gospel singing will be featured on Sunday afternoon.
Harper said this year the Town of Homer’s 150th anniversary will be celebrated as well. In 2008, Banks County celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Harper asked: “What can we do to make this festival better for everybody?”
Harper told the group to think about this question and he would get back to them at the June meeting to see what ideas they had come up with.
Banks County CVB member Gordon Eanes suggested that information about the festival be displayed in the hotels and motels in the area to help promote the event.
CVB chairman Mark Valentine asked the CVB to consider supplying some banners at the Banks Crossing interchange promoting the event.
Valentine also made the suggestion that a page could be added to the Banks County CVB website that would promote the event. Valentine said a schedule of events could be posted on this page.
No action was taken on the suggestions made by Eanes and Valentine. The CVB committee will meet to discuss these items and a vote will be taken.
You have to think about this every time there is a cook off like this in other towns there is always a big turn out . Who knows it could be so big . But if so you need to put this your local papers and on the radio so people know about it other wise it want be so big. Thanks for your time.