For the last 2 weeks, Dothan has been thinking of little else than PEANUTS.
Dothan is a city located in the southeastern corner of Alabama, situated approximately 20 miles west of the Georgia state line and 18 miles north of Florida. Its name derives from Genesis 37:17: “let us go to Dothan.” According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the city’s population was 65,447, making it the largest town in this part of the state, and the combined population for the entire Dothan metropolitan area was 137,916. The city serves as the main transportation and commercial hub for a significant part of southeastern Alabama, southwest Georgia, and nearby portions of the Florida Panhandle.
Since more than one-fourth of the U.S. peanut crop is produced within a 100 mile radius, with much of it being processed in the city, Dothan calls itself “The Peanut Capital of the World.” And, so,The National Peanut Festival (NPF) — the nation’s largest peanut festival — is held each fall to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the harvest season.
The National Peanut Festival is the United States ‘ largest peanut festival. The festivities include games and amusement rides on a large midway, animal acts, agricultural displays, an outdoor amphitheater with live music concerts by national recording artists, beauty pageants, arts and crafts displays, contests, food and a two-hour parade. The National Peanut festival also sponsors and holds field crop exhibits with prizes awarded to each exhibitor.The 9 day celebration of the peanut harvest attracts more than 120,000 people, and has a history of 56 years.
The peanut festival also has other competitions, including Sewing , Cake Decorating, Photography, Cooking ,Art.
Rides and lights seem embedded into the night sky. The sounds of joyful shrieks slice through the air as the ferris wheel comes to a stop. You feel like you can see the whole world. The world is no longer dark. It is brilliant and exciting, and you are at the very top of it all. The ferris wheel comes down, and you are in the thick of a jungle of carnival exhibits, games, and more. Time itself whirls around you as though this energy will last forever though it is for just a moment.
And to top it all off, on Saturday, the big parade through downtown Dothan. Each community has its own float, and another for the queens from there, as well as businesses. Then there are the bands, and the peanut growers, and the military vehicles. The favorite for my children was always the big monster / tractor like truck that would come through the streets and drop thousands and thousands of parched peanuts in the street. Everyone runs to fill a bag or a cup and munches on them as the rest of the parade passes by.
Hello, my name is Everly. I am a blogger living in New York. This is my blog, where I post about interior design and decoration. Never miss out on new stuff.
What a fun event. I had no idea there was a National Peanut Festival! I would certainly go if I lived near you. Looks like a huge event filled with so many fun things to do. Thank you for sharing this with me.
It reminds me of the Manheim Farm Show held every year on the second week of October. Minus the peanuts, of course!! We really miss being able to go to the parade since we've moved away.
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What a fun event. I had no idea there was a National Peanut Festival! I would certainly go if I lived near you