Ted Spears, president of the Arts Council, said the purpose of the event was two-fold.
“Number one is to attract tourists to Sylacauga to come to the Marble Festival,” he said. “Those people who are interested in marble and those people who just come to see what we are doing. Number two is to make the people in Sylacauga aware of the importance of the marble companies that we have here.”
The festival, now in its second year, will offer several sites and displays throughout the city. The official dates for Marble Festival have been scheduled for March 24-27.
But many of the attractions will begin earlier than that. Italian Master Sculptor Giovanni Balderi will arrive March 16 to work with other visiting sculptors at Central Park by Blue Bell Station.
Artists will also be painting at different locations in the city and student art from the middle and high school will be displayed. “A Brief History of Sylacauga Marble” author Ruth Cook will have two lecture programs at the Harry I. Brown Auditorium in the library.
The library will feature displays from the local marble industries as well. Spears said these will show some of the many uses of the marble mined in the area.
“They are going to get as many products as they think are appropriate and have them on display so we can know the kinds of products which depend upon marble for their base,” he said. “For example, marble is in toothpaste, marble is in paint, marble is in plastics, sheetrock, and Alka-Seltzers also. There’s a wealth of things.”
The Marble Festival Committee has been comprised of representatives from several city agencies and organizations. They include the Chamber of Commerce, B.B. Comer Library, Parks and Recreation and the Mayor’s office.
Committee member James Heigl said the first Marble Festival was successful for the city. The committee has been meeting since last year to improve upon it and has met more often as the dates draw closer.
“It gave us something to really grow on,” Heigl said. “We learned a lot from the one last year. Ted Spears is really at the head of all this and I think he has done a marvelous job. We are meeting weekly now rather than monthly.”
Heigl is working on the Marble Festival on behalf of the city council and the American Legion. He said there will be more events added to this year’s festival.
He also said many local organizations were doing their part to put on the citywide showcase.
“We are looking at different types of bike races, foot races and walks,” he said. “[P and R Director] Jim Armstrong is the head of that. And the Chamber is working with us as far as advertising and getting the merchants to help. We are hoping that the merchants will have special sales [during the festival] to help promote their business and to help promote Marble Fest as well.”
Spears said the committee hopes to help the city economically through the festival. He said Sylacauga should be trying to get its share of the billions spent in Alabama on tourism.
And, hopefully, bring new people to the city on a permanent basis as well, he said.
“We want them to understand that we think Sylacauga is a wonderful place and attract them to the area,” Spears said. “Whatever it takes for a good quality of life, Sylacauga certainly has it and we are just trying to advertise that.”
I enjoy the fine arts and I applaud the efforts of those who sponsor it. I am also delighted to hear that more events will be included because, quite frankly, last year the festivities were difficult to find.
I enquired at one of your local gasoline stations but none of your citizens seemed to know where the festival was being held. I finally found a sculptor pounding away on a piece of marble; almost as interesting and exciting as watching paint dry. I do understand the musicale included in the festivities was excellent but I was unable to attend it. Perhaps a schedule and map prominently displayed or published might help.
One minor comment and I find it amusing.
I drove through your town in either June or July and saw what appeared to be a male's contribution to pregnancy sculpted from marble and placed prominently in front of city hall; I can only assume this year's festival will be dedicated to that of a female!
Given that at least 9 months will pass between now and the event in 2011, I can only assume there will be little marble nuggets scattered about.
Keep up the good work but don't expect me to baby sit!
I remain, sincerely yours,
Bosley Alderman