OCHLOCKNEE, Ga. — The 45th Annual Old South Day Festival will be held beginning at 9 a.m. Nov. 13 at 5020 Spence Street (the old school grounds) in Ochlocknee, Ga. The event is always held the second Saturday in November and is sponsored by the Ochlocknee Community Civic Club, Inc.

Applications for booth space and the Old South Day Parade are still available. Applications for arts, crafts, food (limited to only 25 vendors), new flea market, antiques, and collectibles (limited to only 10 vendors total), baked goods/jams, jellies, produce/fruits/nuts, and children’s area can be obtained by contacting Sheron Herring at (229) 574-5151 or Ochlocknee Community Civic Club, Inc.; P.O. Box 665, Ochlocknee, GA 31773. 

Vendors will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis by mail. No applications will be accepted by mail after Oct. 15. On or after Oct. 16, if anyone would like to participate, an appointment must be made with the booth committee to complete the application and to be accepted. 

Booth space measures 15-by-15-feet; fees per non-electrical space is $50 per space; electrical is $100 per space. 

The Old South Day Parade is also accepting applications for participation. Bands, antique vehicles, clubs, schools, horses and wagons, area festival representatives and politicians are only a portion of who will be participating in the parade. 

The festival is a salute and tribute to the rich past and a salute to the great heritages of this area. The idea for this festival was presented in June 1977 to pay tribute to the rich history of the Ochlocknee area: thus the festival was presented in November 1977 with 40 exhibitors and 1,000 persons in attendance. Now the crowd is estimated between 19,000-21,000 persons and approximately 125 to 135 exhibitors. 

Ochlocknee at the turn of the 20th century was one of the largest producers of sugar cane syrup  in America. Every farmer raised sugar cane along with other crops; and so therefore, come autumn, syrup was being made and shipped to everywhere. The open kettle syrup kettle is the logo for the festival. 

Art Myers of WCTV will serve as parade grand marshal. Lanetra Bennett of WCTV will serve as honorary parade marshal. For any additional information, contact Libby Maddox at (229) 226-1749 or call (229) 224-2234. 

Another exciting aspect of the Festival is the awarding (by a drawing) of the Old South Heritage Quilt. The theme is “Rustic Memories of Yesteryear.” The quilt is made up of 30 squares, each of which is designed and made by the contributor. The ones who helped are Rebecca Alday, Allison Robinson, Mollie Robinson, Betty Jo Palmer, Lori Beverly, Donna Beverly, Judy Baggett, Opal Jones, Linda Massey, Libby Maddox, Sharon Herring, Linda Rollins, Judy Carter, Janet Driggers, Geneva McGarrah, Julie Scarbrough, and Pat Hall. Tickets are available for sale at $1 and will be on sale also at Old South Day. 

The festival will also feature an antique house depicting life as were at the turn of the 20th century, as antique museum, the making of sugar cane syrup by the old fashioned open kettle method, an old fashioned breakfast, and much, much more.