Don’t Miss the Rails & Roots Festival May 15-17

We want to invite everyone out to the Town of Valley Head Rails & Roots Festival. This is our annual fundraiser festival for the volunteer fire department, as well as our Festival Fund, which allows us to hold numerous community festivals and activities throughout the year.

We will kick off the weekend with an old-fashioned street party featuring local rock band TPS Report. They’ll start rocking the block at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 15, with a free concert. Mi Pizza will be on Commerce Street selling fresh pizzas and delicious wings. The Valley Head Volunteer Fire Department will host a cornhole tournament all evening. Signup for the tournament begins at 6 p.m. in front of the VH Masonic Lodge. All proceeds from the cornhole tournament benefit our volunteer fire department.

The festival will continue on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. and run until the last band finishes at approximately 8 p.m. Festival hours on Sunday, May 17, will be noon to 4 p.m. Most music will take place on the big stage on the field across from Valley Head Town Hall. We will also have music in the pavilion next to the VH Masonic Lodge on Commerce Street.

Saturday’s Performers

• Mentone Springs Youth Choir on the pavilion stage at 1 p.m.
• Centre’s own Double Portion, composed of Seth and Sam Swafford, on the main stage from 2 to 3 p.m.
• Fort Payne-born and Nashville up-and-coming star Carter Pinholster playing his original country-rock songs and ballads on the main stage at 3 p.m.
• Open mic for anyone wishing to showcase their singing talent on the main stage from 4 to 5 p.m.
• Carter Pinholster’s second set on the main stage at 5 p.m.
• The band Stranded will take the main stage from 6 to 8 p.m.

Sunday’s Performers

• Fort Payne’s own Jon Allen Jones on the main stage from 12 to 2 p.m.
• Grammy-nominated and award-winning triple threat writer, artist, and performer Brandon Maddox will hit the main stage at 2 p.m. Brandon has received multiple world-renowned Josie Music Awards, toured with Monster Truck, and has shared the stage with country stars, such as Brett Eldredge and Blake Shelton. Brandon’s second single, “Good Side,” which reached #58 on the Music Row Chart, was featured in the latest season of top Netflix drama “Virgin River.”

We can’t wait to hear all these great artists! Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy this great lineup all weekend long. We will have a hospitality tent set up all weekend with tables and chairs to sit under the shade and rest your feet during the festival. There will be designated handicapped parking, plenty of bathrooms available, and medics on call at all times.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is the variety of children’s activities. Jesse Tatum is bringing his horses and ponies for the children to ride, and we will have a child’s train ride as well as a blow-up obstacle course and dunk tank. All children’s activities are free this year, thanks to the very generous donation by Fritz Structural Steel. We would once again like to thank Stephanie Fritz for always supporting the Town of Valley Head.

Food Trucks and Food Vendors

Many food trucks will be serving, including:

• From the Ashes barbeque and brisket
• Jus’ Corn from Arab, Alabama
• Froggie Freeze Shaved Ice
• Russell Head with his famous peanuts
• Jacob Joe’s Coffee Truck
• Mi Pizza
• Mrs. B’s Farm & Bake Stand
• Sweet & Crafts
• Many of Valley Head High School’s clubs and organizations will be selling hot dogs, drinks, baked goods, and other tasty offerings.
• Volunteer firemen will be selling hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and drinks all weekend. One hundred percent of the proceeds goes directly to the fire department for much-needed equipment and supplies.

We will also have talented artists and craftspeople showcasing their beautiful items. Woodworking, wreaths and centerpieces, jewelry and crocheted items, handmade baskets, women’s boutique clothing, repurposed vintage items, pottery, and much more will fill the square with tempting finds for young and old alike.

Volunteers will be circulating throughout the crowd, selling raffle tickets all weekend. Prizes will be drawn every hour! Tickets are only $1 each, or you can purchase an arm-length for only $20.

We will have our beautiful Rails & Roots Festival t-shirts for sale in a variety of sizes. Colors are light blue, heather gray, and dusty peach. You will definitely want one if not two of these shirts. They are a nice polyester/cotton blend and are so comfortable.

Valley Head High School will host the first annual Miss Rails & Roots Pageant, which will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, on our main stage. The entry fee is $30, and there are four optional entries at a cost of $5 per entry or only $15 for all 4. There are seven categories for entries based on the contestant’s age at the time of registration. Please email Cindy Harrison at cpharrison@dekalbk12.org for more information and to register.

We cannot forget our annual pie making contest! There are two categories this year: (1) savory and (2) sweet. There is no fee to enter your creation. Please plan to bring your pies to Town Hall by 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 16. We will award prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category.

The Valley Head volunteer fire department is always looking for new volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer fireman, please call Town Hall at 256-635-6814, and we will give you Chief Dustin Burt’s contact information.

Valley Head holds their Town Council meeting on the first Monday of each month beginning at 6 p.m. The public is always welcome to attend. Our next meeting is Monday, May 4.