NORTH CARROLLTON — North Carrollton will host the Big Sand Creek Festival on Saturday. The event will coincide with the Carrollton Pilgrimage and Pioneer Day.
Barbara Sheppard, co-chairman of the festival along with Jennifer Houston and Martha Cain, said one of the purposes of the event is to introduce North Carrollton’s merchants to the public.
“Jennifer Houston started the festival to bring people here to meet our merchants,” Sheppard said. Houston owns Big Sand Feed and Seed.
Cain said there will be a number of arts and crafts vendors as well as music, education, food and games for the kids.
For food, there will be plenty of choices. Beginning at 6 a.m., the J.Z. George High School band will sell breakfast foods, then later will sell pulled pork sandwiches. Both Tutti’s and Four-K will also be open selling food, and Vincent Chapel United Methodist Church will sell food plates.
Local arts and crafts vendors will sell all types of items. Jamie Allen of Cleveland’s Superior Signs will sell car tag signs with initials. Sandra Austin from Gore Springs will have wrapped, prepared food items. Dina Kilburn will sell pen and ink drawings, watercolors, jewelry and stained glass items. David Ross of Big Sand Custom Calls will sell turkey calls and antler pens.
“It’s a good time to buy for Christmas,” Sheppard said.
Cain said there is still room for more vendors, and anyone who is interested should call her.
At 9 a.m. there will be a car and a motorcycle show. Houston is in charge of those events, as well as a chicken swap and a rubber duck race.
At the historic Tabernacle, a community open-air facility just across the bridge where North Carrollton begins, music will reign. Sheppard said there is a fun lineup of all types of music, beginning at 11 a.m. when Charles Huggins will sing karaoke, country and western and gospel.
At 12:30 p.m., the Leflore Baptist Church Children’s Choir will sing, followed by the Pounders family, a local gospel group. At 2 p.m., Alanna Mosley, who performs throughout the state, will play guitar and sing. At 3 p.m, Neal Duke will sing and play old favorites from the Grover Duke and the Cavaliers band, including blues and Top 40 songs.
At 4 p.m., there will be a jam session and all local musicians who want to join in are welcome, Sheppard said. At 6 p.m., “if people are still around and interested, Huggins will again do karaoke,” she said.
“Throughout the day, people can come and rest and listen to the music,” Sheppard said.
At The Senator’s House, across from the Tabernacle, Sheppard will host the Cherokee Mother’s Council, which will teach traditions and give information about the Cherokee heritage. This event is for all ages and starts at 1 p.m.
“We just want people to feel at home, to come in and have a good time,” Sheppard said.
