Chilly weather was not enough to stop hundreds of vendors, volunteers, entertainers and Lee County residents from attending the fifth Garden in the Park Saturday, March 27.
This year's event was a fundraiser for the little red caboose located downtown near the train depot and railroad tracks.
"The caboose was donated to us by Norfolk Southern," said Tipi Miller, executive director of Keep Opelika Beautiful. "We've already raised enough money to renovate the exterior, but now we want to redo the interior. Ultimately we want to be able to hang children's art work in there, but right now it is not in the shape for that."
While the caboose is retired and out of commission, attendees of the festival were able to ride on the antique Rocky Brook Rocket train, which Miller says is an Opelika family tradition and has been around since she was a child.
Along with the train rides, other entertainment included performances by local groups, moon walks and face painting for the children.
Many small businesses found the family-friendly event the perfect venue to try and bring in a little extra revenue.
In total 37 vendors attended the event, offering everything from painted gourds to tax services to mouth-watering polish sausage.
Mary Browning, president of the Pilot Club of Lee County, a civic organization that focuses on brain related disorders, was thrilled to be taking part in the event as a concession vendor.
"The Pilot Club of Opelika actually asked us to come out here and do this, and when it's all for a good cause, you can't really pass that up," Browning said. "We are hoping to raise money for our Project Life Saver which we started in the last three years with the sheriff's department to help track Alzheimer's and dementia patients, should they wander off."
Mickie Eades, co-owner of Flower Zone Nursery, also says she feels Garden in the Park is the perfect event for her business.
"This is our fourth year to be here, and we will continue to come," Eades said. "This gives us a jump start on the season and the people are nothing but nice."
Miller said it is not unusual for vendors such as Eades to return every year or even to travel from out of town for the event because of the friendly atmosphere and success they find at the event.
Much like the vendors, Opelika residents enjoy the event and are drawn back year after year.
"I really enjoy this event," Jordan Drummond, senior at Opelika High School and event volunteer, said. "I volunteer for my school's FFA, but really I just enjoy coming and being around the little kids and the atmosphere."
The event has been such a success that it now runs in conjunction with two other events, the Lions Club pancake breakfast and Envision Opelika's Unity Run.
Barbara Patton, executive director of Envision Opelika, says the event is great not only because of the fund raising, but because of the way it brings the communities of Opelika and Auburn together.
"We have a group of Sigma Nus from the university helping, and they have been wonderful," Patton said. "We would love to see more university involvement at our other events as well."
Davis McLaughlin, junior in pre-veterinary sciences, is a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity and was a volunteer at the event.
"We're just trying to do something positive for the community," McLaughlin said.
Other event coordinators reiterated Patton and McLaughlin's sentiments in hopes of a continued relationship between the event and the university.
Tom Tippett, chairman of the culture unity taskforce involved with the run, foresees hope for the event if the relationship continues.
"This is the best help we've had and it has made it the best event yet," Tippett said. "It can only get better from here."
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