It’s time for Homespun!
Rockmart celebrates 38th annual Homespun Festival
A dazzling display of rainbow colors will illuminate the night sky over Rockmart on Saturday, July 18, as the 38th annual Homespun Festival draws to a close.
This premier event, sponsored by Floyd Polk Medical Center, will be presented about 9:30 p.m. at a designated site away from the downtown area.
The fireworks will be set off by professionals trained in producing safe and crowdpleasing shows, with an explosion of colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, silver and gold.
Prior to the fireworks display, a full day of activities is expected to draw thousands of homefolk and visitors to enjoy free wholesome family fun.
Organizers and volunteers have devoted many hours of planning to make the 2015 festival the best ever for all ages. They have held separate meetings with public safety personnel from city and county law enforcement, medical and fire staff, representatives from animal control and wildlife agencies and others to plan for Homespun. Professionals will also be present to monitor weather conditions during the day.
A list of safety reminders have been announced that will be enforced during the festival:
Several streets, from Martin Luther King, Jr.
to the railroad tracks, will be closed. Marble Street ( downtown) will be closed during Saturday’s parade, starting at 10 a.m. The parade will follow its traditional route from the old Rockmart High School (College Street), left on Piedmont Avenue and right at Elm Street to Marble.
No pets, no smoking and no alcoholic beverages will be allowed in Seaborn Jones Park. Kellie Taylor at Precious Paws Grooming is offering a Doggie Day Care during Homespun.
Physically challenged individuals in wheelchairs and mothers with strollers will be asked to use the Church Street Bridge. The walking bridge over Euharlee Creek is expected to be filled with people and could create safety issues for some individuals.
For the first time, a free community event will be held. Family feud games, directed by Haley Morgan Smith, have proved successful at her youth retreats. A Hula-hoop contest is also planned around 11 a.m.
Smith is also involved in the Collier Cause fund generation booth, which will provide information about Collier Gray. He suffered a massive stroke on Feb. 25 and is still recovering. To help this family, Collier Tshirts, wristbands, stickers, decals, September 19th concert tickets, popsicles, candy and more will be available.
This year’s festival kicks off with gospel night on Friday, July 17. Heirborn will anchor the entertainment from 5 to 9:30 p.m. A number of other popular groups will perform in the downtown area. Arts and crafts vendors usually arrive early to set up a preview of what will be available on Saturday.
Vendors will be displaying handcrafted walking sticks, handpainted wooden Santas, welcome signs, tables, coffee signs, painted ceiling tiles, turkey calls, glass bird feeders, face painting, bullet anther and charm jewelry, yard pottery, wooden toys, pottery sinks and bowls, hand painted crosses, wilderness rustic coolers, clothing for children, metal yard art and more.
The 5K race, hosted by Crossview Community Church of Rockmart, will kick off Saturday’s activities at 8 a.m.
At 10 a.m., visitors and homefolks can enjoy the annual parade that traditionally features Shriners and a number of other groups.
Individuals can discover unique handmade items in the arts and crafts section while country, gospel, dance and rock groups entertain local and out of town visitors perform on stage in Seaborn Jones Park.
The festival will offer plenty of food so that home cooks can forget that chore for the day. Take a break and let a non-profit organization provide something good to eat or a cooling drink.
The Lions Club will have the American favorites: hamburgers and funnel cake. Meanwhile, the Masonic Lodge in Rockmart will satisfy the hungry with barbecue Friday night and beginning after the 10 a.m. parade on Saturday.
For the kids, Slate City Shriners Masonic Lodge No. 97 will have cotton candy and popcorn while Concessions for Christ will offer shaved ice. Other food choices include: BBQ plates and sandwiches, blooming onions, hand dipped corn dogs, frog legs, shrimp and grits, seafood platter, fried gator on a stick, ribbon taters loaded, polish sausage and more. Beverages include sweet tea, frozen lemonade, strawberry lemonade, sodas and water and Triangle Grocery choice drinks.
If education is on your agenda, you will not feel abandoned during the festival. Several area organizations plan to be in the park on July 18.
Serenity Place Animal Rescue will be present to provide information about this new group, and C.Mo’s Kids, a nonprofit organization designed to introduce children to the natural wonders of their world. This group invites physically challenged kids to participate in outdoor adventures like hunting, fishing and camping. Aaron Wood of Aragon is expected to be present to answer questions about C.Mo’s Kids.
Polk Haralson CASA, an organization that offers trained volunteers to be an advocate for children, will also display educational material. St. David Welsh Society is also scheduled to participate. They are active supporters of the WELSHfest in Rockmart, designed to promote Welsh heritage.
Highlighting the afternoon will be the antique car show, which is annually sponsored by the Kiwanis club. This has proved a popular event for the constant flow of people who enjoy viewing popular vehicles of yesterday.
And, don’t forget the annual duck race sponsored by the Rotary club. Crowds usually line the banks of Euharlee Creek as they watch little yellow plastic ducks bob along to the finish line.
Homespun 2015 is sponsored by: Floyd Polk Medical, premier; HON Company, Georgia Power Company, South 93.5, Hometown 1220 WZOT, Parker Systems, Coosa Valley Credit Union, and Redmond Regional Medical Center, platinum; Metro PCS Wireless, City of Rockmart, Waste Industries and The Polk County Standard Journal, gold; Oglethorpe Power Corp., SCANA Energy, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, The Trashman Sanitation, Angelica, Leaf Filter North of Georgia, Nathan Dean Agency, Peachtree Pest Control, Meggitt Polymer and Composites, Taylor Construction, All Phase Home Services, GutterDome and River City Prophane, silver; Haralson Termite and Pest Control, Smith-Lockwood, Triangle Grocery, Polk County District Attorney Jack Browning, bronze; Morgan Hardware, Cedar Valley Container, Sheboygan Paint, Akins Printing, and South Crest Bank, WELSHfest 2016, associate category; and Pinnacle Products and Our House, Domestic Violence Center, friend.
For more information about Homespun, call 770-684-8760 or email