Cotton Blossom Festival offers bales of fun!

By Deanna Ryan

Early forecasts for this year’s Cotton Blossom Festival in Twin City indicate a beautiful fall day in the 70’s. Mayor Matt Donaldson, Recreation Director Brent Freeman, and City Clerk Genia Ducker along with other members of the “Twice as Friendly, Twice as Nice” town have planned for more food, music, vendors and merrymaking than ever before, in hopes everyone will come Saturday, November 5th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to have fun and shop locally.

The day will start at the Welcome Center with “All the Fixin’s” Janna Tucker leading runners in the “Don’t Bale Out” 5k at 9 a.m. Runners can preregister at www.allthefixinspecans.com/product/cotton-blossom-5k/296. Right after the 5k, a Fun Run will be held for the kids at 10 a.m. T-shirts will be provided for those who register.

Between the Welcome Center and the Baptist Church parking lot, families will discover a petting zoo, along with slide and ax-throwing inflatables, face-painting, and a train pulled by a golf cart. Children can enter a coloring contest being introduced this week in all Emanuel County schools.

From 10-3 local musical acts, ranging from choral to bluegrass to gospel to light southern rock to banjo-picking, will fill the air. Participating this year are the Twin City Elementary (TCE) Beta Club singers, Emanuel County Institute (ECI) Art Teacher Mark Lillquist, the Boatwright Family, Steven Clark and Alan Brasher, Lani Morton, and Ronnie Love to name a few.

4-H members will educate the crowd on cotton agriculture and industry while ECI’s Susanne Bowers will share robots from the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mechanics (STEM) robotics collection.

Jerry Hall’s vintage tractor show will have at least 25 tractors on site and will offer awards to the best tractor on site.

For enjoy sampling new or tried-and-true foods, the Cotton Blossom Festival is sure to please with Big Dog Snow Cones, Lobster Dogs (out of Savannah), Tanners-on-the-go (Burgers and sandwiches), John’s Q (barbeque), Full and Happy (barbeque), K Sweets of Joy (sweets and lemonade), and Twin View Health and Rehab (sweets). Swainsboro residents will be happy to hear Tacos La Chona will be there with authentic Hispanic tacos, burritos and enchiladas too!

Wondering what to buy a loved one for Christmas? Fifty vendors will be on site selling such items as: custom dog bandanas, scents and warmers, skin care, graphic tees and hats, pampered chef, stove covers, flower arrangements, paintings, oyster shell art, “All the Fixin’s” sweets and products, spa products, Ohoopee Gold honey products, apparel, home and yard decor, wood products, Game Troupers video game vendor (older video games), custom jewelry, crocheted blankets and brooms, bird feeders, and signs. Even a Cotton Blossom t-shirt for sale for $15. (See photo.) Southeast Glamping will also be there to offer luxury camping packages.

People can take selfies at the beautiful Twin City mural (see photo) found at the old jail to commemorate the occasion and post it to their favorite social media with the #historictwincity.

Parking will be in the ECI parking lot. Vendors will set up in the Baptist Church parking lot. The event is free. If you would like more information click on https://www.facebook.com/cottonblossomfestival.