The 26th annual Heritage Festival begins tonight with a farm-to-table dinner at the Manor at Mt. Carmel.
Hosted at The Manor at Mount Carmel, the dinner will feature locally-grown food from area farmers in a delicious meal prepared by local restaurants. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Court Square Farmers Market.
The evening starts off with a social hour at 5 p.m. and the dinner will begin in the original barn at 6 p.m.
Participating restaurants and vendors joining together to prepare the Farm to Table dinner are: Bad Boy Bakery, Baptist Memorial Hospital – Tipton, Billings Bald Butcher, Brunch Time Cafe, Court Square Cafe, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Old Town Hall, Theo & Roe’s Ice Cream Parlor, Rob N Bob’s Produce, Long Orchard, Dees Family Farm, Maximum Blooms Fresh Cut Flowers, Brighton FFA, Munford FFA and Covington FFA.
The River Bluff Clan, a bluegrass band based in Memphis, will be performing during the dinner. Members are Tommy Burroughs, Richard Alan Ford, Brady Howe, and Bill Yearwood.
The premier sponsor for the event is Harris Shelton.
The four-day festival continues Friday with a focus on arts and crafting
There will be a 5:30 p.m. reception for the Antique Quilt display at the Tipton County Museum, Veterans Memorial and Nature Center, located at 751 Bert Johnston Avenue. The quilt display will be up Sept. 17 – Oct. 23 and includes a quilt from 1827.
Have you seen this year’s quilt? The 2021 Heritage Festival quilt was made by Nancy Deugaw from The Stitching Store.
This year the quilt is a queen size, currently displayed inside the Tipton County Museum. It comes with two matching pillow cases. Tickets for a chance to win the quilt are $5 each or 3 tickets for $10. They can be purchased at the Tipton County Museum or the Chamber of Commerce office now and throughout the festival including during the Farm to Table Dinner, Thursday evening. The winner will be announced Sunday evening after the festival on the Covington-Tipton County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
After the reception, head to the Ruffin Theater.
The Historic Ruffin Theater will be featuring the musical “Monty Python’s SPAMalot” at 7 p.m. It will also have a showing again Saturday evening at 7pm. The theater is located at 113 West Pleasant Avenue on the Historic Covington Square.
At 5:30 p.m. there will be a reception for the new antique quilt display at the Tipton County Museum and this year’s festival quilt will be on display.
Saturday’s arts and crafts festival kicks off with a children’s parade
As a Heritage Festival tradition, Saturday’s festivities will begin with the traditional Roll ‘N Stroll children’s parade around the historic court square.
This year’s parade, sponsored by the Tipton Christian Academy Preschool, themed is “America the Beautiful” and children are encouraged to dress up in patriotic garb. The parade begins at 9 a.m. and participants are asked to meet in front of the post office, at the corner of South Main and Church streets, at 8:45 a.m.
Local veterans will lead a color guard in the parade, the Tipton Line Dancers will be dressed in patriotic colors to include Uncle Sam, and the Covington High School band will also be part of the event.
Immediately following the parade will be opening remarks from local dignitaries in Court Square Park.
Saturday is the day for the traditional arts and crafts fair with live music, historical tours and encampments, car shows, and other attractions. Sunday will feature more live entertainment.
The Leader will share attractions and entertainment schedules Friday.
Guidelines for Covid-19 Safety Precautions
All guests are encouraged to sanitize and wash their hands regularly – (Hand washing and hand sanitizing stations will be available at the event)
All shuttles will be sanitized regularly throughout both days
The Chamber of Commerce booth will have free masks available
Author: Echo Day
Echo Day is an award-winning journalist, photographer and designer. She is currently The Leader's managing editor.
