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Chamber to host first Red, White and Blues Barbecue
Published 2:42pm Thursday, July 12, 2012Dadeville’s Keebler Park will fill with business, bands, children’s activities and food vendors Aug. 25 – if everything goes as planned – for the first Red, White and Blues Barbecue.
“We have tried multiple different fundraisers for this Chamber group, and we really have to find something that’s going to catch on,” said Michael Carter, Chamber of Commerce first vice president.
The Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the event and inviting any interested group – artists, bands, antique-car owners, businesses and politicians – to come out and promote themselves.
“The more (vendors) we have out there, the more people are going to come,” said Karen White, Chamber of Commerce president. “We just want to promote (businesses) … They can put up a tent, they can put up a table – they can make it as elaborate as they want to.”
Carter and White said the original idea was to have the event near July and prior to the November elections to promote patriotism and American freedom, as well as provide a platform for politicians.
“We didn’t want to gear it just for political issues. We wanted it to be a family-oriented event, too,” White said.
Interested vendors can receive a 20-by-20 foot space in Keebler Park for $25.
“We want any business that wants to come and introduce themselves,” Carter said.
The deadline to call and reserve a space is Aug. 10. White said they would love to have 100 or more vendors.
“We know we’re not going to be real successful this year, but it’s one of those things that’s just going to have to take time to grow,” White said. “And then maybe they see what the Chamber is trying to do for everybody, not just for Chamber members – this is a community thing – and maybe that will make them want to join (the Chamber).”
The event is open to any interested vendors, not just Dadeville businesses, and White and Carter said they hope to get a variety of attractions.
“We’ve got to have some kid-friendly things,” White said. “If we can get the kids out there, of course the parents are going to be out there with them, and the parents will have the money.”
The Red, White and Blues BBQ will last from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 25. For more information or to reserve your slot, call the Chamber of Commerce at 256-825-4019 or Michael Carter at 256-825-4345. Interested bands – of any genre – should also call to find out about playing at the event.
