'I'd Rather Be in Tignall' fall festival set for Saturday with games, crafts, food, fun for children of all ages

The "I'd Rather Be In Tignall" fall festival will be held Saturday, November 3, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the old school grounds on Independence Street in Tignall. Parking will be behind the Independence United Methodist Church next door to the school grounds. Parking and admission are free.

This year's festival marks the centennial year of the Town of Tignall (population 653), incorporated in 1907. In its sixth consecutive year, "I'd Rather Be In Tignall" has become a fall tradition. Sponsored by the North Wilkes Steering Committee, it is a product of the efforts of hundreds of women and men in northern Wilkes County.

The Steering Committee has worked all year on a new edition of the old Tignall cookbook, and copies of the new Tignall's Famous Recipes Past & Present will be available for purchase at the festival for $15.

The ladies of the Tignall Homemakers Club have been sewing for months to produce their annual quilt, this year with a 50-states bird and flower theme. It turned out to be gorgeous and is on display in the lobby of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Tignall where a constant stream of viewers has been coming in to see it since last week. Raffle tickets will be sold all day for one dollar (six for fivedollars) and some lucky ticket holder will take the quilt home after the drawing at 3 p.m.

More than a hundred Wilkes County merchants have donated generous prizes of cash and merchandise for the festival. Performers and vendors from all over the state will provide entertainment and display their wares.

There will be a full day's activities for all ages. Children will enjoy the free petting zoo, face painting, the moonwalk, slide and striker. Children of all ages can take a horseback ride or go on a hayride, try the putting green or the candy pumpkin contest, or have their picture made by photographer Heather Hammond.

Adults might findbingo or the cakewalk (homemade cakes) more to their liking. Those who grew up in the area can take a walk down memory lane via the nostalgic photo display in the old school lunchroom.

For those who prefer just to kick back and relax, there will be live entertainment all day. Brandi Saxon of Elberton will sing at 9:30. The kids fashion show starts at 10:00. The Praise Group will be next, followed by Blue Streak, a bluegrass/ gospel group from Elberton.

At 1:45, Miss Wilkes County, the lovely Gracen Ware, will be onstage. The ever-popular Gwin Ware of Evans, originally from Tignall, will also perform, and the day's entertainment will culminate with Freddie Brown.

For those who would like something to take home, there will be drawings throughout the day for door prizes of cash and merchandise. A variety of arts and crafts, as well as "I'd Rather Be in Tignall" souvrenir caps, T-shirts, and Christmas ornaments will be on sale.

Come lunchtime, there will be plenty of barbecued pork and chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and fried pies.The Tignall Homemakers Club will be serving homemade soup, cornbread, baked goods and tea. And of course there will be the traditional boiled peanuts, funnel cakes, and lemonade to snack on all day.

At eight o'clock, prior to the festival, the Independence United Methodist Church will be serving a free breakfast of pancakes and sausage to the first 100 people who arrive. Then, Tignall Mayor Richard Gammon will open the festival. Tignall Baptist Church Pastor Dale Fincher will give the invocation and Brandi Saxon will sing the National Anthem.

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