Opelika Celebrates Year of Small Towns and Downtowns

Barbecue, historic buildings, a free concert by local artists and pony rides were just a few of the treats Opelika community members enjoyed Saturday during its all-day celebration.

Celebrate Opelika, an event coordinated by the City of Opelika and Opelika Main Street, was part of The Great Alabama Homecoming.

"I created Celebrate Opelika after the announcement from the Alabama Tourism office that 2010 was the Year of the Small Towns and Downtowns," said Velinda Wheeles, executive director of Opelika Main Street. "What we've done in the past is a block party on Friday night for two or three hours with a band, but this year they requested we do something like this, and we would receive the historic marker."

Celebrate Opelika began at 10 a.m. with the raising of the flag by Opelika's Boy Scout Troup, a flag-retiring ceremony and the unveiling and dedication of the new historic marker to Opelika.

There was entertainment and arts and crafts for attendees of all ages set up on Railroad Avenue throughout the day, including inflatables, pony rides, balloons, air brushed T-shirts, marshmallow guns and artwork from Rockman Mining Co.

The city also offered walking tours and golf cart rides to historicspots in downtown Opelika, including The Event Center, which was formerly a Coca-Cola bottling plant. The city also offered tours of residential and commercial properties, the museum of East Alabama and the J.W. Darden house and the Cultural Center, which was formerly one of Opelika's first schools.

"I chose to participate in Celebrate Opelika because I love what's going on in downtown Opelika," said Jennifer Rhodes, owner of Downtown Printing and Design and Vow's Bridal Directory. "I love to see the revitalization of Opelika and all of the updates and the history coming alive. It's just an exciting thing to be a part of."

Patrick Starr, 8th grader at Lee Scott Academy and co-owner of Farmer Brown's Party Animals, had a petting zoo set up for the community with fainting goats, a miniature pony, an alpaca, a Haflinger horse and mallard ducks, all of which he bought with his own money.

"My favorite part of this event is seeing everything and getting to be around my animals and other people," Starr said. "I've seen quite a few people from around the community. I think we've had a pretty good turnout."

The food included hamburgers from the All Sports Booster Club of Opelika, homemade ice cream served by the Lee County Pilot Club and free watermelon slices from Hometown Ford, Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep.

Community members also got to tour the building and sample the menu at the Irish Bred Pub, a restaurant that will open downtown in August.

At 4 p.m. the vendors on Railroad packed everything up and moved to Courthouse Square where community members participated in the Opelika Lions Club "Cream of the Crop" homemade ice cream contest.

Later in the evening, a free concert featuring a local band and artists Adrift, Dallas Dorsey, Adam Hood and Brad Cotter was held at Courthouse Square.

"The concert that we did on Saturday night was just a bonus," said Wheeles. "I wanted to do something to showcase the courthouse, bring more people into downtown and stretch out that demographic that we're able to pull in for something like this."

Wheeles said that the daytime activities were successful, though some stayed in because of the heat. She said the concert was the most successful part of the day, with more than 1,500 locals in attendance.

"I was a little disappointed in how many people came out for the daytime part, but it was totally overwhelming to see how many people showed up for the concert," Rhodes said.

Wheeles said that Opelika Main Street intended to hold something similar to Celebrate Opelika again next year.

"It was amazing to see the turnout and to have an event like this that brings so many people in the community together," Rhodes said. "We just really enjoyed watching everybody else have fun."