With a schedule that certainly has a “beefed up” look for what is sure to be a special edition, this weekend’s annual fall celebration of life in Albany and Clinton County is one that will not only have something for everyone, but should be one that keeps everyone on the go.

For the 40th time now, current Clinton County residents will come together with hundreds of “former” residents, those who lived here once, have moved away for whatever reasons, but still consider this to be “home,” along with yet hundreds more people who are just visiting.

We all come together for the fellowship, friendship and camaraderie of a celebration in the outdoors under the fall sun (hopefully) to play, listen, dance a little and eat a lot and get in one last weekend of good weather before thoughts and Mother Nature begin turning toward winter.

Yes, family and friends, it is time for our annual party around the square, and for the 40th time now, it’s the time when we invite the rest of the world to come join us for our Foothills Festival, and to . . .

Come See It Our Way!

What began in 1980 as an idea by a handful of dreamers, all young at the time, of a way to bring some excitement back to the downtown Albany area, has since grown and transformed into this Foothills Festival we all have come to love and look forward to each year.

From the fall decorations to the contests to the food offerings to the arts and crafts, and yes, to the endless music, a fair weather forecast is expected to once again transform a sleepy downtown area into a bustling gathering of folks, who have come together for a Friday and Saturday of fun.

Looking at this year’s Foothills Festival schedule, it certainly looks as if the planning committee has guaranteed the lineup will have something for everyone, and will once again be bigger and better than ever.

So, take a few minutes to review the lineup of events, then locate some good walking shoes and make a plan to take in as much, or maybe all, that is being offered – from Friday’s first offerings of Arts and Crafts and early musical offerings, to Saturday night’s finale fireworks presentation.

Although we offered our readers a complete schedule and a Foothills Festival Special Preview Section, consider this week’s offering a reminder of the fun and entertainment that lies ahead, thanks to the careful planning by this year’s Foothills Festival Committee.

Friday, October 18

A day that will end with one of the biggest concert offerings ever by the Foothills Festival when the Kentucky Headhunters come back to the Foothills stage, gets underway early around the courthouse square, as arts and crafts vendors finish setting up and showing the crowd what they have brought to offer.

What is said to be a “sold out” collection of arts and crafts vendors will begin selling at around 10:00 a.m. Friday morning, with the Pumpkin Patch games center opening shortly after adjacent to First and Farmer’s Bank at 11:00 a.m.

The lineup of games and activities, mostly geared toward the younger Foothills crowd, will run until about 8:00 p.m. Friday night, taking a break to shut down between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. for the Friday afternoon Foothills Parade.

The first of several live entertainment events of the weekend will feature not a musical act, but a return to the days of the old west, when men were men, and many were better shots than others, but in the case of the Tumbleweed Crossing performance, all are good comedians.

The Tumbleweed Crossing wild west show will have its first performance around the courthouse square at 11:30 a.m.. Additional Friday performances from Tumbleweed will be showcased at 4:30 p.m., just before the start of the Foothills Parade, and a final Friday performance that evening at 6:30 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m. on Stage 1 near the Albany First Baptist Church, the first musical notes will fill the air for the Foothills crowd, coming from two of our all-time favorite performing groups, the Clinton County High School Band as well as the collection of musicians who formerly held seats in that collection as well, the Clinton County Alumni Band.

Also on Friday, entries for most of the children’s contests begin being accepted at the Foothills Building on the west side of the courthouse square, including the Pumpkin Decorating/Carving as well as the Lego Building contest entries beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Music continues to keep things in a festive mood with another local favorite entertainer, Jeff Crouch, who is set to perform some of his vast collection of songs at 1:00 p.m., also on Stage 1.

At 5:00 p.m., expect a crowd to have already gathered along the sidewalks from one end of Albany to the other, as what has become known as the “Best Parade in Small Town U.S.A.” makes its way through town, featuring floats, antique automobiles and tractors, clowns, celebrities and more.

Say hello to Bowling Green Channel 13 WBKO’s weather forecasting personality Chris Allen, who will serve as this year’s Foothills Festival Parade Grand Marshall.

At 6:15 p.m., just as the parade is winding down, make your way to the Stage 1 area for the nightcap lineup of entertainment, beginning with The Georgia Thunderbolts, a group of young musicians with a mixed influence from Southern Rock, English Rock, Heavy Metal, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Soul and Country will set the stage as the opening act for the weekend’s premier musical offering.

Then, at 7:15 p.m., still on Stage 1, just as the night air is filled with that crispness of fall, the world famous Kentucky Headhunters, from just across the way in Edmonton, Kentucky, will heat things up again.

With a collection of top hits from their 30 years together, this will mark the third time the Headhunters have taken a Foothills Festival stage to perform many of their well known hits.

Don’t miss this chance to hear this group of performing legends as they rock the Foothills air once again, free for your enjoyment and certainly to be a perfect way to move toward the end of Day One – after a 9:00 p.m. fireworks show.

Saturday,

October 19

Up and at ’em early will be the way to be sure to take in all of the day’s events Saturday, with an 8:00 a.m. start to the annual Foothills festival 5K Run.

With a path that begins at Mountain View Rec Park and winds through West Albany, eventually finishing adjacent to Dyer Drug on the square, runners of all ages will be collecting cheers from supporters all along the route.

If you’d rather, or else just as soon to take in the motorized mode of transportation, be sure not to miss the Foothills Car, Truck, Motorcycle and Tractor Show.

Held in the parking area at People’s Bank just north of the courthouse square, you can enjoy looking at some of the finest antique, restored and custom rides from across the area.

Registration begins at 9:00 p.m, with show hours set for 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

Also on Saturday, the Arts and Crafts offerings will open early again, and of course the Pumpkin Patch rides and games will continue throughout the day at First and Farmer’s Bank.

Registration for the day’s contest will get underway at the Foothills booth from 10:00 until noon.

At 10:00 a.m., the first of three Storytelling events will see local actors Donovan and Amanda Hatfield, Chris Dickens and Jimmy Simmons teaming up with a group of Clinton County Middle School students for the first of three performances presented by the Clinton County Community Foundation.

Taken from the recounts of Randy Speck, the Notorious Meddler’s researching of a local character from the late 1800s and early 1900s, L.S. York, these stories are sure to not only entertain you, but give you some insight into what life’s experiences might have been like in Albany and Clinton County in those early years.

Additional story telling performances in the Foothills court will be repeated at 12:00 noon and again at 2:00 p.m.

The Little Red Wagon and Me and My Pet parades will take place in the street adjacent to the Foothills Building at 11:00 a.m., and both are certain to be great entertainment as we enjoy the creativity of our younger Foothills participants competing for top prizes.

Tumbleweed Crossing will return to the courthouse square for its first of three Saturday shows, beginning at 10:30 a.m., following by shows at 12:30 and again at 6:30 p.m.

The Albany – Clinton County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a return event for an old crowd favorite to the Foothills lineup, with the Great Outhouse Race set to begin at 12:30 p.m. (Applications and rules are available at the Welcome Center through Thursday, October 17).

Contestants will be featured in a “sit-down” style meal at Stage 2 near the David Choate Law Office, when they compete in the annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at 1:30 p.m.

Another crowd favorite competition, the Parent/Child Look-A-Like contests get underway, again at Stage 2, beginning at 2:00 p.m.

Those activities all lead up to the all-time favorite Saturday event for Foothills Festival fans, the 3:00 p.m. Foothills Festival Lip Sync Contest.

You never know who, or what, might show up on stage as local performers act out their favorite musical performances, while the standing room crowd cheers on, claps to the rhythm and from time to time, belts out in laughter.

As the day turns to evening, the entertainment continues with a first-time Foothills Festival entertainer and another local artist takes Stage 1.

Kristen Hunter will bring her country music sound to the stage in front of her hometown fans as she opens the night for the featured entertainers, beginning at 5:15 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m., Legacy will rock and roll with your favorite songs from an endless list of classic bands and solo artists, along with some original songs of their own.

At 7:00 p.m., on Stage 2, Terry Murphy will again be spinning the tunes for his annual street dance gathering.

As this 40th Foothills Festival celebration settles into the history books, yet another fireworks show will close the books with a bang, at 8:00 p.m., on the square.

Come early, stay late, be hungry and ready to tap your toes and enjoy the fun and the show, as we gather once again for our annual fall celebration on the square – this time for the 40th time, and once again we bid to all . . .

Come See It Our Way!

It’s back . . .

The Foothills Festival schedule is a constant changing lineup, with some events being eliminated, new events being added, and favorite events remaining from year to year.

Thanks to a sponsorship from the Albany – Clinton County Chamber of Commerce, one event that has been absent from the schedule for more than three decades, is making a return this year.

The Great Outhouse Race will be featured Saturday afternoon, with heat races beginning at 12:30 p.m. at State Farm Insurance office on Plaza Drive.