Pageants, parade and fireworks

are up first for Foothills fans

Sunday’s Foothills Festival Old Time Gospel Singing, and the Second Sunday Health Fair were moved inside to the Learning Center due to high winds and the threat of approaching bad weather. People attended both events anyway, enjoying the sounds of gospel groups that included one local group, shown above, led by Ronnie Pyles.

At left, Arica Collins, Phamacist and co-owner of Dyer Drug, administered a flu shot to Josh Oesterreicher, who put on his best “happy face” for the benefit of his oldest son, Thomas, who was watching for his dad’s reaction.

A year’s worth of planning is behind us, and some nervous weeks when it looked as if there might not be enough working hands to even pull it off has apparently been remedied and with the onset of cooler weather, color bursts in the surrounding mountains and even some sprucing up around the downtown area the past couple of weeks – one thing is certainly clear . . .

We’re ready for a party!

A handful of early events last weekend ushered in the arrival of Albany and Clinton County’s signature fall event – party for some, homecoming for others – as the 33rd version of the Foothills Festival will officially get underway this weekend.

A schedule chock full of events, contests, entertainment and fun awaits the thousands of fans – mostly local but with plenty of visitors mixed in – who for the past 12 months, have been waiting on the weekend that keeps us on the move around Albany.

“Come See It Our Way” is the call that we send out to the world for this weekend slate of happenings – a lineup of events that has been ever-changing, growing and updated since 1980 when a handful of local civic minded citizens and businesses joined together to organize that first Foothills Festival.

Roll forward some 33 years to this upcoming 2012 edition and the event that has become Clinton County’s signature fall celebration gathering still has some traditional attractions that made it a success in its early years, with plenty of new additions having been added down through it’s three-decade long history.

Informal gatherings on the courthouse lawn by an ever-changing lineup of local musicians, “picking and grinning” throughout the entire day Saturday has been one of the constant sights that has survived through the years.

And of course there is the Foothills Festival parade – an event that has become known across the region as one of the best produced small-town parades ever witnessed.

Included in last week’s Clinton County News was our annual preview of the upcoming events that will be offered this week for those attending the Foothills Festival, but just to make sure nothing gets by you, the following is a brief rundown of the highlights on the upcoming schedule, offering one final chance to fine-tune your weekend Foothills plans.

Thursday, October 18

The most beautiful girls in the world – and throw in a few handsome young boys as well – will be on hand for Thursday’s first official Foothills Festival weekend lineup of events when the night of pageantry gets underway at the Clinton County High School gymnasium.

Beginning with the Prince and Princess contest for young boys and girls ages 5-7, the night of pageant lineups will get underway at 6:00 p.m.

Four additional events are slated as the night continues, including Little Miss Foothills (5-7), Junior Miss Foothills (8-11), Teen Miss Foothills (12-14), and finally the grande finale, the naming of Miss Foothills Festival (15-21).

Additional information concerning the Foothills pageants can be learned by contacting Kimberly Stockton (688-0400).

Friday, October 19

Come early, stay late, dress warm and be ready for an “explosive” day and night of Foothills Festival events.

The 33rd Foothills weekend will see activity underway early on Friday as vendors put the finishing touches on booths that will line the courthouse square, offering everything from information about professional services, to handmade arts and crafts, in an outdoor flea market type setting.

Traditionally, Foothills fans will be on the move around the courthouse square throughout the day Friday (as well as all day Saturday) as they peruse the offerings being sold.

Across Cross Street to the west of the courthouse square will be two areas of more booths that are more likened to true “flea market” styled items including clothing and sunglasses, while in the Foothills Court area will be several booths set up manned by workers from civic and non-profit organizations and school groups.

Of course as the day progresses, another area will become a major attraction, again just a little further west of the courthouse square area as the smells and sounds from the Foothills Food Court begin to fill the air.

From home-cooked offerings to bar-b-que to international treats – and don’t forget dessert, local and regional cooks will be once again peddling a mish mash of food that should serve to please anyone’s palate in search of something different – or perhaps just an old favorite taste.

A collection of local art will be available for public viewing, with the long-time mainstay to the Foothills schedule the youth Poster Contest entries being displayed inside the main halls of the Clinton County Courthouse. The displays will remain up through Saturday for public enjoyment.

Contest registrations will begin on Friday at the Foothills Festival Building porch on the west side of the courthouse for those interested in any of the many, many events that are to be staged during the Foothills,

Included among the contests that will require pre-registration this year are the Pumpkin Decorating, Pumpkin Carving, Pumpkin Pie (registration at the Corner Stone Restaurant), Lip Sync, Cornhole tournaments (youth and adult), and the Parent/Child Look-a-Like Contests.

Many of the contests are slated to be held on Friday, while others are on the schedule for Saturday. Anyone interested in particular sign-up time limits or rules are advised to make an early trip to the Foothills Festival Building and inquire from Foothills Planning Committee members.

Best rule of thumb is to sign-up early, rather than risk a disappointment of being too late to get involved.

Friday will also see the opening of the Pumpkin Patch, a children’s attraction area set up adjacent to First and Farmer’s main Albany location.

The Pumpkin Patch will offer a varied group of attractions for the youngest Foothills crowd, including inflatables, train rides, face painting, amusement rides and games, most aimed at the younger aged crowd.

The Patch will open Friday at 10:00 a.m. and remain open until about 8:00 p..m., then repeat those same hours on Saturday.

The first scheduled musical entertainment will be the first of two appearances on Friday by Clinton County High School Band, when at 12:00 noon at the main stage on Cumberland Street, they will be featured in a concert setting for a free show.

Under the direction of Doug Sell, the band will play several selections in this free concert before leaving to prepare for its second appearance later that afternoon in the annual parade.

At 1:00 p.m. and continuing until about 4:00 p.m. (providing plenty of players are participating) will be the Children’s Cornhole Tournament near the Pumpkin Patch area. Two divisions will pit players ages nine and under together and players 10-15 in competition.

Terry Murphy will be providing musical entertainment Friday afternoon with a free show near the Foothills Building that gets underway at 3:00 p.m. and is certain to put everyone within earshot into the festive mood.

The Foothills Festival parade will once again make its way through Albany after a 3:00 p.m. lineup start at the Westview Shopping Center, with the parade getting underway at 5:00 p.m. in what is expected to be another hour-long version that lines the streets both with parade entries as well as observers.

Following the parade Friday evening, musical entertainment will once again fill the air when Klassic Tymes, one of the area’s better known party and events bands takes the stage at about 6:30 near the flea market area on the west side of the square.

“Something old” combined with “something new” will be the idea as Friday night comes to a close when Foothills fans around the square are treated to a fireworks show that is being staged to fill the sky over the courthouse square with plenty of “kaboom” that will certainly bring out “oohs”and “ahhs” with all eyes point upward.

The fireworks show combines the new and old in that it’s a replacement event for the annual Albany – Clinton County Chamber of Commerce produced show that is normally held on July 4.

Dry weather forced the organization to cancel this year’s July 4 show, but when the opportunity arose to bring the show back to life and offer it as something “new” to the Foothills schedule, the local civic organization jumped at the chance to do so.

Fireworks are slated to begin at 8:00 p.m., and the show has been designed to offer optimal viewing from the courthouse square, giving Foothills fans even more incentive to stay later and take in all of the sights, sounds – and of course tastes.

Saturday, October 20

Foothills events on Saturday have long been varied, some with a fast pace – others at a standstill, and this 2012 lineup certainly promises to offer something for everyone.

For those enjoying the fast pace, it will be an early start of the day when registration gets underway at 7:00 a.m. for the annual running of the Foothills Festival 5K.

A race that has enjoyed constant growth and increased popularity, registration will be at the Mountain View Recreation Park, with an 8:00 a.m. start that last year saw 165 runners compete in the early morning event.

From that 5K start, things are off and rolling and don’t stop until late Saturday evening.

Contest registrations continue at the Foothills booth until 12:00 noon, Arts and Crafts booths open early and offer sales until late Saturday evening and of course the host of vendors around the Foothills Food Court will get an early start – and continue cooking and feeding until the crowd has left that night.

As for other scheduled events, the Pumpkin Patch gets things underway at 10:00 a.m. with a lineup of children’s activities.

Musical entertainment gets an early start when Livewire, a group of local musicians, take the stage near the flea market area.

Livewire takes the stage at 11:00 a.m. and will continue entertaining for a two-hour stretch.

At noon, near the Albany Police Parking Lot, the adult cornhole players get their chance to go head to head in a tournament for players 16 and over.

As the mid-day sun begins to move to an afternoon setting, the pace of Foothills activities begins to slow somewhat, as the audience begins to move toward the main Cumberland Street stage for the anticipated premier Saturday contests lineup.

At 2:00 p.m., the Parent/Child Look-A-Like contests get underway, with several age categories to be awarded for the next hour.

Then, with a scheduled 3:00 p.m. start, again at the main stage, the now famous Foothills Lip Sync will pack the street in front of the stage as acts put on their best renditions of entertainers and skits that is sure to not only keep hands clapping and feet stomping, but bring about a few surprises as well.

To close out the slate of activities Saturday, again it’s more musical entertainment as John Capps and Easton Bryant bring their Country and Alternative Country style to the stage near the flea market area for a concert set to get underway at 5:30 p.m.

As has long been the tradition with this now 33 year-old party – this week’s offerings should have something for everyone, with a line-up that promises to be “bigger and better” than ever before.

Come early, stay late – make sure your shoes fit and your jacket is handy and join the rest of Clinton County as we get ready to take in the sights, sounds, tastes and fun of this 33rd Foothills Festival – once again throwing out the invitation to those near and far to . . .

Come See It Our Way!