Wrens hosts October Fun Fest weekend

Parish Howard, Augusta Chronicle
·2 min read
Children enjoy cotton candy from a vendor at the outdoor screening of Monsters Inc. movie night event opening the October Fun Fest events in Wrens.
Children enjoy cotton candy from a vendor at the outdoor screening of Monsters Inc. movie night event opening the October Fun Fest events in Wrens.

Hundreds of area residents came out to the Wrens Walking Track Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20 and 21 to celebrate the city’s first October Fun Fest weekend.

Wrens City Clerk Cassie Bartlett said the event was organized by her and two of her co-workers, Felicia Hannah and Madison Tiner.

“We had been talking about doing something in Wrens and we decided to try a Fall festival and did not know it would be as successful as it was,” Bartlett said. “It turned out really good. We’ve heard nothing but positive things from it.”

Attendees of the Wrens October Fun Fest sample chili from the contestants.
Attendees of the Wrens October Fun Fest sample chili from the contestants.

Although the three of them work together at Wrens City Hall, the event itself was organized by Bartlett, Hannah and Tiner, sponsored by area businesses, and approved, but not paid for by the city.

The event opened with an outdoor movie night screening of Monsters Inc.

The festival Saturday morning kicked off at 9:30 a.m.

Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.

“I think this was the best festival we’ve ever had in Wrens. It was a great thing to unite the community. It brought everyone together and we all had a blast,” said Michelle Weatherford-Usry, a Wrens council member and president of Wrens Hometown Partnership. “The citizens and vendors I talked to all commented on how well organized it was.”

Attendees ambled among vintage and modern muscle cars at a day-long car show and enjoyed entertainment from Chris Darden, Stephanie’s Dance Explosion, Be Rob Music and Ashely Workman.

Evonne McLeod won the Candy Corn Guessing contest and the top three winners of the Ameteur Chili Cookoff contest were TaRonda Heggs in first place, Vicky Tripp in second and Jason Usry in third.

Michelle Weatherford Usry presents the first place chili cook off award to ToRonda Heggs.
Michelle Weatherford Usry presents the first place chili cook off award to ToRonda Heggs.

Sponsors for the event included Advanced Environmental Management, Allen’s HVAC, Arrington Automotive, Arrington Electric, Aspen Solutions, Avera Industrial, Berry Bomb, Best Office Solutions, Blissful Boutique, The Brothers that Just Do Gutters, Community Healthcare Systems Inc., Dental Partners of SWGA, Dube and Dowdy Attorneys, First State Bank, Freeman Funeral Home, IGS Energy, Jefferson Energy Cooperative, Lamb Brothers Lumber, Queensborough National Bank, Silas Rent-A-John, SRCC Detail Shop, State Farm – Lee Woods, Tree of Eternal Life, Western Motel, Wrens Dental Center, Wrens Finance and Zoom Telecom.

With this year’s success, Bartlett said that the organizers plan to hold this event every year around the third weekend in October.

Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.
Scenes from the Wrens October Fun Fest.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Wrens hosts October Fun Fest weekend