The A&E cable network and the Food Network will both film specials on the 2003 Christmas on the River festival, according to Kathy Leverett, president of the Demopolis Area Chamber of Commerce.

The A&E network will send a crew of 10 including a correspondent to Demopolis on Dec. 5 and 6. The crew might come earlier on Dec. 4 to film the "Christmas on the Canebrake" tours of Bluff Hall and Gaineswood, but that has not been finalized, Leverett said.

The coverage of COTR will be used as part of an A&E special "Ultimate Holiday Town USA."

The Food Network will send a crew to film the activity surrounding the Barbeque Championship Dec. 5 and 6 as well as other food vendors on the crucial final days of the festival.

In a related matter, COTR officials hope to create a new pattern of the festival’s familar elf character to be placed on the Webb Landing water tower. The old elf structure was recently destroyed in an accident by a cleanup crew.

The COTR committee is seeking a sponsor to help defray the costs of recreating the lighting design.