My friend, Danita, and I headed to the city of Winterville, Georgia to check out the Marigold Festival, an annual community event that was first held from 1971 - 2002. After taking a break for a few years, the festival returned in 2009 and continues to this day.

The festival takes place at Pittard Park behind City Hall and the historic Train Depot. After checking out the car show (which can be seen in "The Virtual Car Show" at the top of this page), we headed to the food vendors area at the Inez Edwards Plaza. Community festivals always feature a wide variety of food vendors. Festival goers had a wide selection from which to choose.

The Inez Edwards Plaza is named after the woman who ran a general store in the building that is now City Hall.

"Deep Fried" is, apparently, quite popular around here.

I'm not familiar with Deep Fried Oreos.

The building in the background in the photo above is the rear of the historic Winterville Train Depot that dates from the 1840s. Winterville was incorporated in 1904 as a railroad town along the Georgia Railroad. After the railroad was abandoned, the city acquired and renovated the depot in the 1980s as a community center.

The large lawn area seen in the photos above and below sits behind the food vendors and City Hall.

Several activities for kids were set up in the lawn area.

Today's entertainment was courtesy of Sweet Pea the Clown.

Sweet Pea, also known as "The Bubble Lady," is famous for the large bubbles she makes.

The large bubbles do a great job of getting kids' attention.

Sweet Pea the Clown.

Sweet Pea the Clown.

More kid-oriented activities in the lawn behind City Hall.

Once past the food vendors, we crossed over Church Street and headed toward Pittard Park. The cannon in the photo above sits at the park's entrance.

This double-barrel cannon is a replica of an actual Civil War cannon that was forged in 1862 and currently sits next to City Hall in Athens. The replica's date of construction is unknown. But the builder was David Johnson, father-in-law of the late Wesley Whitehead, a long-time mayor of Winterville.

Arts and Crafts vendors lined the walkway to Pittard Park.

Pittard Park is named after the Pittard family who settled in the area in 1796.

The name "Marigold Festival" stems from the fact that the marigold was chosen as the city's official flower in the early 1970s.

Next to the Arts and Crafts vendors was a giant tortuous display.

Giant Tortuous at Pittard Park.

Giant Tortuous at Pittard Park.

Next to Pittard Park is the old Pittard Bank building. Built and owned by John Pittard in 1912, it operated as a bank until around 1930. Later, it also served as the Post Office.

Pittard Bank building, 1912.

I found this interesting motorcycle on display.

Military motorcycle on display.

The pavilion at Pittard Park was completed in 2002.

I like the pavilion's "security."

Parked next to the pavilion was the city's 1969 Cadillac Deville convertible.

This is the "Miss Marigold" car and is used in the city's parades.

The car is actually owned by the city.

Overall, it's in decent shape, and has had some work done to it over the years. But it still has a long way to go. The car broke a drive belt during a recent parade. It could also use some body and paint work, interior work, and a new top.

The Marigold Festival always features an array of live music. This year's event had 10 bands on the schedule for today.

The Redstone Ramblers were on stage during our visit.

The Redstone Ramblers from Jefferson, Georgia.

The Redstone Ramblers from Jefferson, Georgia.

The Redstone Ramblers from Jefferson, Georgia.

I believe this is band leader Mark Wilmot.

Band leader Mark Wilmot.