photo by Dale Liesch

Pie time: Janice Dark and Irene Beasley prepare some of Kellyton’s famous fried apple pies at Kellyton Trade Days Saturday.

It’s pie time for Kellyton

Vendors, apple pies draw big crowd for Trade Days

By Dale Liesch (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Monday, September 14, 2009

The faint sound of gospel music was barely audible along Coosa County 50 In Kellyton reminding travelers of the special event held each year on the second Saturday in September.

A total of 40 vendors gathered in an attempted to sell everything from hat collections to boiled peanuts during Kellyton Trade Days Saturday, but Kellyton’s famous fried apple pies are what attracted so many visitors to the center of town.

“The pies are the draw, that’s what gets people here,” said Linda Hardman, Kellyton Trade Days Committee member. “There has been a pretty steady turnout today.”

Each of the vendors bought a booth from the committee at either $10 without electricity or $15 with electricity. The money went to support the Kellyton Community Center and the Kellyton Volunteer Fire Department.

“We’ve had stuff here that we’ve never had before,” said event organizer Nelda Hayes.

For Hayes, the trade days have become a full community event and something everyone in Tallapoosa County looks forward to each year.

“Everyone in this little town donates to the trade day,” Hayes said. “People come and work to support trade days and we could not do it without them. The whole county looks forward to it.”

Many of the vendors at the event have experienced the large trade days’ crowds in the past and came back for more success.

Sammy Reaves has purchased a booth during trade days for the past six or seven years to sell hats.

“The crowd has been fine when you consider the way things are during this day and time,” Reaves said. “I always come back because of the crowd.”

For others, like Dennis Lawry, it was a first visit to the trade days.

“I came out here because of the crowd,” Lawry said. “I’m going to try it again next year.”

Hayes said while Saturday’s atmosphere was important, the best part of Kellyton Trade Days occurs before the actual event.

“The week of preparation is the best part,” Hayes said. “Seeing all the people come out the day of is like the icing on the cake.”

---

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?

---