The festival is fast approaching and pepper jelly is what it is all about. The residents of Thomaston and the folks at the Alabama Rural Heritage Center have cultivated a celebration of their pepper jelly into a wonderful spring-time tradition – the Pepper Jelly Festival.

As a means of recognizing the success of their pepper jelly, the cooks in Mama Nem’s kitchen partner with local artisans, area and regional crafters, numerous food vendors and outstanding entertainers to provide one of our regions most anticipated events. This year’s festival should not disappoint.

Entertainment: In addition to local favorites Ronnie Richardson and his unique rendition of Elvis Presley hits, and Gene Etheridge and Friends, with their always-popular classic Country, those attending the Pepper Jelly Festival will enjoy listening to world famous blues singer, Debbie Bond and the Trudats. Debbie will certainly be a crowd favorite and has enjoyed playing for fans throughout the South and Europe.

Food: Of course there will be everyone’s favorite: good old Thomaston barbecue. Cooked on an open pit, the pork was hand-pulled from the whole hog and prepared with Thomaston’s unique vinegar-based sauce. In addition to the delicious Thomaston barbecue, Mama Nem’s cooks will be selling their famous chicken salad, too.

Other food items available throughout the festival will include popular funnel cakes, corndogs, sno-cones, homemade ice cream, pigskins, fried Oreo’s, fried Snickers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, peanut butter and banana sandwiches and much more.

Vendors: There will be train rides, wind chimes, garden art, unique soaps and candles, crochet items, wooden cut-outs, iron and metal item for the home, vintage jewelry, purses, wallets, hair accessories, quilts, blankets, baby bibs and more.

Note: There is still time to register as a vendor. Call the Alabama Rural Heritage Center, (334) 627-3388, or e-mail: ruralher@frontiernet.net.

Demonstrations: Guests will see many of the lost art talents, including: arrowhead knapping, basket making, and other folk art favorites. Our Deep South Food Alliance farmers will be on-hand to tour the facility’s high tunnel / hoop house – the place where the peppers are grown!

If you have not yet ventured to one of the region’s most popular spring-time events, you should make plans to visit the nice folks of Thomaston and their Pepper Jelly Festival, Saturday, April 27.