Honeybee Festival organizers are already looking ahead to next year

LaFayette’s first Honeybee Festival was a great success, so much so that discussion is already underway for next year’s event and volunteers are already being asked to step forward.

The festival, held June 3, was the largest outdoor event in the city since the Johnny Cash concert in August 1970.

The crowd fluctuated throughout the day — residents would come for awhile, leave and then return later — but more than 10,000 witnessed the perfomance by country singer Craig Morgan, City Manager David Hamilton said.

More than 2,500 children visited the Kids Zone throughout the day.

Original plans to hold the event at the old LaFayette High School’s Ross Abney Stadium were changed when it was decided there would not be sufficient room for vendors and the expected crowds.

Given the thousands who attended, the downtown area proved a better fit and truly showcased area businesses, Hamilton said.

“All of the businesses I have spoken with since the event said they want to see it happen again,” Hamilton said. “We have received a lot positive feedback and our team (Honeybee Festival organizers) are already discussing ideas for next year and how we can make it even better.”

Festival organizer Jim Powell said the volunteers, vendors and Kids Zone were all amazing.

“Everyone did such a great job,” he said. “LaFayette proved that if you give them something to come out and enjoy and promote it well, they will come out.”

Powell said he has heard from other visitors to the city for the festival who enjoyed it as well and said “what a good place it is to live and do business.”

US101 was very enthused about the event, Powell said. The radio station was contracted for just two hours, but stayed the entire festival and plan to return and help with the beginning planning stages for next year and will help locate talent for the event as well.

City employees and volunteers worked nearly 24 hours on the day of the event. Public Works arrived at 6 a.m. and did not leave until around 5 a.m. the next day as they made sure the downtown was cleaned up following the festival.

“They did it out of love for their city,” Hamilton said. “They did an excellent job.”

The Walker County Sheriff’s Department provided assistance as well as provide an inmate crew to aid in cleanup efforts. Puckett EMS, state probationers, Walker County Emergency Services were on hand with the LaFayette Police Department to assist with the festival as well.

The city manager said the education area received a lot of tremendous interest and the plan is to expand the beekeeping and ecology booths for next year’s festival as well as provide more room for vendors along side streets.

Vendors said it was unheard of for an inaugural festival to run so smoothly, Powell said.

“We had a lot of help. I think we can do better next year,” Hamilton said.”The success of this festival was driven by the community. A huge ‘thank you’ goes out to everyone who helped and supported the event and for all of the positive attitudes and excitement for the festival.

“There were a lot of people who came and visited LaFayette for this event and LaFayette was represented very well.”