Georgia Peach Festival Highlights
| June 25, 2006 |
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| (KNS) is proud to present to The Spamination Society the Best and the Most Complete Coverage (so far) of the Georgia Peach Festival. |
| Georgia Peach Festival Highlights |
| The 2006 Georgia Peach Festival is over now and by all accounts this years festival was a huge success. Unhampered by rainstorms and inclement weather this year, the Festival was blessed with record crowds in Byron at the Kickoff on Friday night and in Fort Valley on Saturday. This is remarkable following on the heels of the highly successful Inaugural Father's Day Hambone Jam just one week prior to the Peach Festival. |
| The Peach Festival has one thing on its side....tradition. 2006 marked the 20th Anniversary of this county wide event. 20 years of trials and tribulations with thousands of volunteer man-hours have perfected the Georgia Peach Festival into one of the major tourist attractions in the state. Events like the free concerts in Byron at the Outlet Mall and in downtown Fort Valley continue to draw record numbers. The annual Peach Festival Parade and the World's Largest Peach Cobbler draw people from as far away as Australia. The Kiwanis pancake breakfast and the Peach Festival Road Race continue to draw locals and out of town guests. |
| Each year new traditions are added like the Best Hat Competition. This year the Beard Contest in conjunction with the Fort Valley Sesquicentennial was added. Probably the most successful new event was the Agriculture exhibit celebrating 150 years of agriculture in Peach County with displays depicting the production of cotton, peaches and pecans. This attraction drew hundreds of people who enjoyed listening to old timers recall how agriculture has changed over the years. There needs to be a permanent showcase in a museum one day highlighting the importance if agriculture in our region. |
| One of the highlights of any festival is food and their were plenty of vendors to go around. My favorite places to eat are with the locals and the Fort Valley Historical Society's Annual Chicken Salad luncheon on Saturday is my favorite. The Byron Historical Society had a similar luncheon the week before and it was outstanding. The Singing Judge (Magistrate Judge from Crawford County) entertained the overflow crowd afterwards and she was outstanding. |
| Tricia Adams, in her second year as director of the Peach Festival committee, provided the leadership for this year's Peach Festival. She directed a great group of volunteers who get no pay for their services, but are rewarded only in the satisfaction they receive in seeing the success of their efforts. There would not be a Peach Festival without all the volunteers who donate their time and talents for the betterment of the community. |
| One of Tricia's strongest suits is lining up the entertainment for our enjoyment. She booked The Tams in Byron (Friday night) and the Alabama Blues Brothers in Fort Valley (Saturday night) and both concerts were fabulous. The annual fireworks in Byron and Fort Valley display thrilled everyone as usual. |
| Congratulations to Tricia Adams and all the members of the Peach Festival Committee, the supporting Mainstreet and Byron Hometown volunteers who make this event possible and such a success. |
| Thanks to the Pearson and Lane families, our local peach industry families who continue to grow the famous crop that our county is named for and our state is known for. Without Big 6 (the Pearsons) and Southern Orchard (the Lanes), there would be no peaches to celebrate in our Peach Festival. |
| Images of the 2006 Georgia Peach Festival |
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Images from The Blues Brothers (1980)
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The Originals: Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd), Ray Charles (Ray), Jake Blues (John Belushi)
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Images From the Alabama Blues Brothers
(2006)
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(photo by Rich Bennett)
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The Alabama Blue Brothers and phavorite phan (center): Jake, The Kommish, and Elwood
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A Tale of Two (2, too) Bubbas
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(photo courtesy Rich Bennett)
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Peach Festival Volunteers: Martin Moseley ("Big Bubba"), Tricia Adams (Peach Festival Chairman) and husband "Little" Bubba Adams directing events in Byron
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The Beginning of the Peach Festival Parade
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(Photo courtesy of Jarrett Reagan)
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The View down Camellia Boulevard
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Members of the Red Hat Club in the Parade
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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The Kommish aboard the Fort Valley Sesquicentennial Phloat
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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Notice the Abe Lincoln Top Hat
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The Bennett Clan
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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Members of Peach Cobbler Chef Rich Bennett Family enjoying the Parade
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Master Chef Bennett
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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Rich Bennett uses a 5 (phive) gallon bucket to dip the cobbler
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Serving the World's Largest Peach Cobbler
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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At 2:00 PM, the Cobbler was pronounced ready and was served and to an eagerly awaiting crowd. Barbara Brown and Kenin Clark were on hand to do the honors.
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Beauty and the Feast
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(Photo courtesy Rich Bennett)
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Miss Georgia Teen looking over the finished product.....The World's Largest Peach Cobbler. Rich Bennett (Head Cobbler Chef) had assistance from several Peach County employees: Eugenia Wood, Clarice Davis, Kevin Clark, Joyice Lee, Barbara Brown, Billie Segars, James Ross, Robbie Williams, County Commissioner Martin Moseley and retired commissioner Maphew (Matt Mullis). It was proclaimed the "Best Ever".
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Kiwanis Club Pancake Phlippers
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(photo courtesy Rich Bennett)
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(L -R): Paul Domingus - Chief Pancake Phlipper Specialist (Boys & Girls Club Director), Russ Bozeman - Assistant Pancake Phlipper Specialist (Citizen's Bank), "Pastor Clint" Wood - Chief Prayer Specialist (Fort Valley Evangelical Church), & The Kommish (Chief Pancake Dispenser)
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The Kitchen Crew
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(Photo Courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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Howdy Thurman (retired from Woolfolk Chemicals) and Ned Watson (Fort Valley Utility Commission Director) serve up the eggs and sausages to go along with the pancakes
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Pancake Phlippers at Work
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(photo courtesy Jarrett Reagan)
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The Fort Valley Kiwanis Club continues a club tradition started by Durward Gassett in 1978, the Annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast. Approximately 350 patrons were served during the Peach Festival inside of the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. The pancake cooker in the middle belongs to Blue Bird Wanderlodge Division and was used for years to cater the Wanderlodge owners during RV rallies.
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Comments from the Photographer
Great Bearded One!
My photos of the Peach Festival can be found at www.reagan.smugmug.com
Alas, I had to depart early in the afternoon for fire department duties and could not hang around and take more pictures of the evenings festivities.
Jarrett Reagan
(no kin to Ronald)
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