57th Annual Decatur Barbecue Festival proclaimed a success

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

— DECATUR - The 57th Annual Decatur Barbecue Festival on Aug. 6 and 7 was an overall success, Chamber of Commerce president Royce Johnson reported at the Sept. 6 meeting.

This was the first year the Decatur Barbecue and the Bulldog Days were held back to back as one festival.

Johnson reviewed the chamber’s preliminary financial report from the festival at the meeting. There are still a few numbers that have not been finalized, but the report showed that the chamber spent a total of $22,845.42 on the festival and earned $25,982.14 for a profit of $3,696.72, he said.

The profits help cover the expense of the high school scholarships the chamber traditionally awards, Johnson explained.

Food sales were also successful,Johnson said. The chamber sold out of chicken dinners and hot dogs on Friday and sold more than 500 hamburgers over the weekend, he said.

Parks and Recreation Committee Chairman Trip Lapham said the financial reports for his committee are not yet complete.

Kim Wilkins reported that the car show and poker run on Saturday did better than ever with more than 50 participants in the car show and 90 participants in the poker run. The fun run on Saturday morning also had record attendance with 53 athletes.

Parks and Recreation Committee members said they were open to holding the festivals together again next year.

Johnson proposed holding both events on Saturday to increase attendance, and having the entertainer as a grand finale on Saturday night. After much discussion about how the two festivals could be blended on one day, the chamber decided to explore the idea further next month.

“We’ll definitely think about it and talk about it more next month,” Stacy Brooks said.

The chamber voted to donate $500 to the Decatur Fire Department for selling chicken dinners and hot dogs and hamburgers during the event.

“We really do appreciate it,” Jean Johnson told fire chief David Flynt.

The chamber also voted to divide the eight cases of leftover beans between the Decatur schools, Head Start and Decatur Care For Kids.

In other business, the chamber began to discuss plans for the annual Christmas parade. Johnson said he will be coordinating the date with the Decatur school’s schedule during the first few weeks of December.

Officers will be elected at the next Chamber of Commerce meeting, scheduled for Oct. 4.

School News, Pages 15 on 09/15/2010