DECATUR — A full-scale carnival with 15 rides is coming to Decatur during the week of the Bulldog Days festival, Mayor Bill Montgomery said at the Sept. 22 Parks and Recreation Committee meeting.

The carnival will be set up in Veterans Park on Oct. 8 through 11. Bulldog Days is scheduled for Oct. 9 and 10. The carnival will be a big draw to the Bulldog Days festival this year, Montgomery told the committee.

The carnival will be doing a light show on Thursday night and flooding the area with flyers to advertise for the event, he said.

Montgomery is negotiating with the carnival owners to allow children from the Decatur schools to come to the carnival on Friday afternoon and ride the rides as part of a field day. He said the carnivalowners were interested in having middle and high school students, in addition to elementary school students, participate in the field day.

The hot air balloon pilots that attended the festival last year will not be able to attend Bulldog Days this year because they have a prior commitment in Little Rock.

Montgomery said there is still a possibility of finding someone to bring hot air balloons to the festival.

"My goal is: We have a beautiful facility. Let's put it to use. Let's make a name for the community," Montgomery said.

Committee members agreed to charge food vendors a $100 fee - $25 of which would be a refundable clean-up fee - and arts and crafts vendors a $25 fee.

They decided to waive the fee for school fundraisers.

The committee met again on Tuesday - after press time - in Veterans Park to walk the area and make final preparations for the event.

"I think it's starting to come together," Montgomery said.

News, Pages 1, 2 on 09/30/2009