Clay County Chamber of Commerce

Music in the Streets

The 2008 Clay County Music & Art Festival is history but the memories will remain for a long time. The music started at 10 am with Rocky Carracino and moved through gospel, country, blue grass and southern rock by Just Us into the night. Besides Rocky and Just Us, acts included Shot Gun Giddens, Kirsten Shaw, the Justin Howard Band, Mt. Zion String Band, Jonathan East and Crooked Creek. Clay County is overflowing with great musicians!

Attendance was great and Ashland Police Chief Benny Davis estimated about 4000 people passed through during the day. And the weather could not have been better. Beautiful blue skies and temperatures in the high 70s made this a great day to be outside to enjoy the many musical acts and to browse the vendor’s booths.

The Music & Art Festival is an annual event sponsored by the Clay County Chamber of Commerce and next years festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 16^th, the third weekend in May which also falls on Armed Forces Day each year. This year’s festival featured a tribute to our men and women serving in the Armed Forces. It was conducted by the Composite Squadron of the Clay County Civil Air Patrol and also featured a fly-over of one of their airplanes. The ceremony presented by the CAP was a moving tribute to those who serve and protect our country everyday.

Another well-received feature of the festival was the Ballroom Dancing demonstration featuring seniors from Clay County High and Lineville High. Ballroom dancing was taught to them as part of the Clay County Career Tech Leadership Academy. The demonstration also featured a professional ballroom dancing couple who came all the way from Mobile, Alabama. The crowd loved it.

The Clay County Chamber of Commerce thanks the many local businesses that made a financial investment to sponsor the 2008 Festival because without their support, the festival could not happen. This year’s sponsors were: Gold – Clay County Healthcare Authority, First State Bank, Alabama 100.7 and Lake Wedowee Life magazine. Silver – Clay County Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Fables Chevrolet, Son Up Real Estatem and Eagle 102.3. Bronze – McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Emerald Realty, Farmer’s Insurance, and Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. Special thanks goes out to the Ashland Police Department, the Clay County Commission, the Ashland Mayor and City Council, Ashland Printing, Ann’s Flowers, the Ashland Housing Authority, and the many local businesses who donated door prizes.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 16^th, for the 2009 Clay County Music & Art Festival. It will be bigger and better than 2008.