NEWNAN, GA. (Top40 Charts/ Coweta Festivals) - As the annual Labor Day weekend Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival approaches its 37th consecutive opening day on Saturday, Sept. 1, festival officials are predicting a strong turnout for this year's three-day event.
Executive director Carol Chancey said she would not be surprised to see attendance reach the 20,000 mark in this west Georgia community.
"The opportunity to shop for unique arts and crafts from one of the 200 juried artisans showcasing their work this year, the Monday afternoon, Sept. 3, concert by county music star T. Graham Brown, our annual Rising Star talent competition, and the prospect that three lucky festival goers will each walk away with a valuable country music collectable are creating a 'buzz' this year that I don't recall from previous years," Chancey said.
Held every year on the 100 acres of historic Powers Plantation in Newnan, Ga., near Franklin, Ga., festival gates will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, and will close at 5 p.m. Labor Day afternoon, Sept. 3. Festival hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Parking is free.
During the weekend presenting sponsor WEKS Radio 92.5 FM, The Bear, will give away three country music collectables including a guitar autographed by the young singing sensation, Kellie Pickler, whose debut album "Small Town Girl" was released in October 2006. The station will also give away a pair of red high heels from her recent Red High Heel tour.
And for those who prefer flatter walking apparel, some lucky attendee will walk away with a pair of flip flops autographed by Kenny Chesney from his current "Summer Flip Flop Tour." Chesney, who won the 2005 Country Music Triple Crown Award, will be performing in Birmingham, Ala., on Sept. 6 and in Atlanta on Sept. 7 and 8.
Country singing star and Athens, Ga., native T. Graham Brown, will step on the festival stage at 2 p.m. Monday afternoon. His music has been described as part Nashville Honky Tonk, Memphis Soul, New Orleans Funk, Texas Road House, Muscle Shoals Blues...and all heart.
The Rising Star talent competition on the Festival's opening day is a perennial favorite for attendees. Beginning at 10 a.m. 50 contestants will vie for the title of the 2007 Powers' Crossroads Rising Star. They will compete in one of three age categories: 15-18 years old; 19-34; and, 35 plus.
Each winner will receive a small cash award and prizes from Newnan area merchants and will perform an Encore Show as the opening act for country singer T. Graham Brown's Monday afternoon concert.
Visitors at this year's Festival may also view selected pieces of more than 200 pieces of art purchased by the Festival between 1971 and 2006. Each year the Festival's art judges select several pieces as being exemplary of that particular year's offerings. The Festival buys those pieces for its Purchase Awards collection.
The Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival is organized and produced by five local non-profit organizations as their annual major fundraiser with net proceeds divided among the organizations. They are: Newnan Coweta Chamber of Commerce, Newnan Coweta Arts Association, 4-H Clubs of Coweta County, Newnan Coweta Jaycees and The Pilots Club.
Presenting sponsors include West Georgia Technical College, Buffalo Rock Beverages and Food Services, Newnan, Ga., LaGrange, Ga., Toyota of Newnan, and WEKS Radio, The Bear, 92.5 FM, in Griffin, Ga., Barnes & Noble, and Papa Johns Pizza.
For more information and directions to the festival visit https://www.newnan.com/powers
