Peanut Butter Festival celebrates 25 years and counting
Published 3:00 am Tuesday, November 1, 2016
There’s just no way to determine how many people attended the 25th annual Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge on Saturday. There was no admission charge and no turnstile, so attendance would be just a guess, said Lawrence Bowden, president of the sponsoring Brundidge Historical Society.
Some people came and stayed all day. Some came and left. Some came, left and came back.
“We had a big crowd all day from the time the festival got underway with the 5K Peanut Butter Run at eight o’clock until we closed down around four o’clock,” Bowden said.
Peanut Butter was the order of the day with the BHS leading the way with the belief that “Things go better with peanut butter.” The BHS offered samples of peanut butter and everything from dill pickles and baloney to bananas. The Alabama Peanut Producers grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and there was always a line.
The Peanut Butter Recipe Contest was a success with some of the best cooks tossing their recipes in the mix.”
The Johnston Museum was open and visitors had the opportunity to see where peanut butter was first made commercially in Brundidge in 1928.
“The entertainment was all local and it was great,” Bowden said. “We had more than 90 arts and crafts vendors and 17 food booths. The kids’ area was active all day with old time challenges like stilts and Go Fish and the hay scramble for coins.
“The Nutter Butter Parade with was lot of fun with unique tractors, wagons, horses, old cars and all kinds of nutty things. The weather was great. It was just a great day to come together.
“As our T-shirts said, ‘The Peanut Butter Festival is where old times and good times meet.’”
Bowden expressed appreciation to all of those who worked preparing from the festival – the members of the Brundidge Historical Society, the City of Brundidge and all of the volunteers.
“We appreciate all of the efforts that went into making the 25th annual Peanut Butter Festival a success,” he said. “We thank all of the vendors for their participation and all who came and enjoyed the day.”
The Brundidge Historical Society is moving rapidly from one big event to the other. The fall production of historical group’s original folklife play, “Come Home, It’s Suppertime,” opens Thursday night at the We Piddle Around Theater. The play is Alabama’s Official Folklife Play and will be concluding its 15th year with six performances.
Bowden said there are a few single seats available by calling 334-344-9427. Play dates are Nov. 3, 4 & 5 and 10,11 & 12. Tickets are $25 and included the pre-show, a full country supper and the two-act play.