Thousands of people of all ages braved the temperatures that soared around 105 degrees to enjoy the 20th annual Liberty Day festivities in Cedar Bluff on Saturday June 30, 2012.

Misty Mobbs, Cedar Bluff town employee and coordinator of the festivities, said … “We had about 65 arts and craft vendors and about 10 food vendors. I believe the heat definitely did effect this year’s event. People started leaving about 2 p.m. and then started to come back about 5 p.m. after it cooled off some. Several of the vendors had already left. It wasn’t the best year for attendance.”

In addition to the vendors, Mobbs said several politicians were in among the crowds because it is an election year.

She said many of the vendors this year were new to Liberty Day.

There were several vendors who returned from last year or the previous years and the town was also excited about the first time vendors present.

Not only spectators and buyers were from out of county and out of state, so were several vendors. Mobbs said this year’s event drew vendors from as far as Tallahassee, Florida and Franklin, NC and Wake Forest, NC as well as Atlanta, GA. Of course, vendors from Cherokee, Etowah, DeKalb, Calhoun and Talladega counties were set up to provide their services to the patrons of one of the areas favorite summertime festivities.

Mobbs said, “Happenings had several inflatables for the kids to enjoy till they got so hot they couldn’t be on them. And we had Peter Hart here, he is a puppeteer and always a crowd favorite. And of course, the train ride…he’s been here several years. A new thing this year was called Bopping Heads…it’s where they superimpose your face on like a rock star’s video and you get to take home the video of you kinda rocking out to the video.”

Delmus Brewster and the Southern Rodders Antique Car Show was present again this year and always a big crown favorite as people look at old cars and tractors and reminisce of days gone by. Because of the extreme heat, some of the most frequented vendors included the homemade ice cream and the vendors with shaved ice and snow cones.

Entertainment drew crowds all during the day under the pavilion and under the park’s cedar trees. The main attraction at 7:10 p.m. was Wade Trammell sponsored by TDS Telecom.

Immediately following Trammell’s show, vehicles lined the causeway and boats dotted the waters of Weiss Lake to view the sparkling culmination of the day’s festivities…the fireworks over the lake. The fireworks show is simulcast on WEIS Radio and the show is set to music with a pyro company from Texas lighting up the sky and illuminating the waters of beautiful Weiss Lake.

Mobbs said plans are already in the making for another successful Liberty Day next year in the town of Cedar Bluff on the banks of Weiss Lake…the Crappie Capital of the World.