Wisteria Festival, Talent Show this weekend

The first ever Williamson Wisteria Festival will feature 50 vendors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 6 with more than a dozen acts set to hit the stage for the Talent Showcase. In addition to a wide variety of vendors, the event will include the official dedication of the Williamson Caboose / Visitor’s Center at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The winner of the Talent Showcase will take home a $100 prize and the show will start at 7 p.m. Friday, April 5. ’The Talent Show will have everything from a harpist to comedy acts and singers to a karate kata. We will have a wonderful variety of acts,’ said city clerk Karen Brentlinger. ‘We were originally shooting for 30 vendors but when those slots were filled, we opened it up to 50 and we have filled every slot. We will have all kinds of food including fried oreos, barbecue, Italian ice, an old fashioned soda fountain, fudge and cotton candy. We will have lots of children’s activities including pony rides, inflatables, free face painting and a wide variety of vendors including arts and crafts, home goods, handmade knives, jewelry made from spoons and more.’The Wisteria Festival will include its own wisteria – at a new pergola in the city park, over an archway on the walking trail and at a pergola near the playground where parents and kids can sit in the shade of the wisteria. ’As the years go by, visitors can come back and to the Wisteria Festival each year and see how the wisteria has grown,’ said Brentlinger. ‘Wisteria is one thing that makes people think about the wonderful aspects of the south and we have some beautiful wisteria growing along the roadsides here in Williamson. We wanted to have an arts and crafts event in the city and we’ve been talking about it for a while. Council member Carol Berry’s sister came up with the name. There will be something for everyone, including lots of activities for kids!’For more information or to volunteer, call city hall at 770-227-8380, email williamson_ga@att.net, or see williamsonwisteriafestival on Facebook.