Teresa Williams
OCHLOCKNEE — The hands of time are turning back Saturday with the 33rd annual Old South Day in Ochlocknee.
“It should be a fun-filled day,” said Carolyn Bertsch, president of the Ochlocknee Community Civic Club Inc. and booth chairperson.
The Ochlocknee School Reunion kicks off festivities 6 p.m. today at the American Legion Annex on Stubbs Street. Anyone who was employed or went to school there is invited to attend.
Main activities are Saturday and include plenty of old-fashioned fun, crafts and foods.
Bertsch said planning for this year has been a little rough due to some illnesses of those who were helping coordinate events. But, there are plenty of food vendors and arts and crafts booths slated for Saturday.
“I think we’ve probably got about 20 food vendors on a waiting list,” she said. “I think our flea market area may be a little slow this year, but we’ve got as many as 113 vendors for food and arts and crafts. That is only slightly down from last year’s 121.”
Items expected to be available for sale on site include antique glass, coffee, jewelry, decorated reindeer, and embroidered shirts.
Food vendors’ menus feature everything from Mexican and Greek to chitlins and gator tail.
A favorite item is the cane syrup made at the old mill on the grounds.
Melton Covington, a volunteer, helped cook the old-fashioned condiment sold at the event each year.
“The cane is cut, ground up, and the juice is caught and cooked,” he said. “We bring it to a boil and that take about three hours. Then, it is dipped out and bottled up.”
Covington said this year’s supply of syrup for sale is about half what it usually is due to a smaller cane crop so people should come early to ensure they are able to purchase a bottle.
Other returning favorites include the Country Fair, the living history and the antiques museums, and the annual Old South Day Quilt drawing.
The parade is at 11 a.m. and grand marshals are “Belles of Old South.”
Publicity Director Sharon Herring said entries to the Country Fair will be accepted until noon today.
Activities for the young folk are jumping houses, a 20-foot slide, pony rides and a petting zoo.
A new activity is a cake walk, where numbers will be placed on the ground and people will walk around the squares, Bertsch explained. Once the music stops, a number will be randomly drawn and whoever is standing on that number wins a cake.
The quilt was made by a group of area ladies. This year’s theme is “Teapots.”
Tickets are a $1 donation and the drawing will be done at 2 p.m.
Herring asked that the public park at either the Methodist or Baptist churches. She said it will be easier for folks to get out and will not crowd the parade route.
No animals, four-wheelers or golf carts are allowed on the Old South Day Grounds.
“We encourage people to come,” Herring said. “It should be a little educational and a lot of fun.”
