It’d be detrimental to your Chilton County experience to avoid the 2010 Peach Festival. If it’s something that’s managed to elude you for years, or you’re a first-timer, next week could mark the beginning of a new tradition for you and your family.

Even if peaches aren’t your personal fruit preference, the social aspect of the event should enlighten you to the happiness and fellowship it brings to the community. This partly defines Chilton County, makes outsiders aware of the time-honored institution of peach growing, harvesting and, more importantly, eating in these parts.

Whether you fancy pageants, 5K and 10K runs, Motown music, parades, auctions or peach ice cream, you’ll likely find a reason to look forward to it next year and years down the road. The county and annual event’s reputation isn’t unfounded, so what reason would anyone have to dread it?

Yes, it’s hot, and it’s not getting any cooler. But if that’s our only drawback, I don’t know that we’ve ever spent a summer in Alabama or other parts of the deep South.

While immersing yourself into the experience and collecting pit after pit, take a few moments to introduce yourself to those who make it all possible, be they peach farmers, vendors or event planners. They make it all possible. If you think folks like us, people who’s job is just to show up, greatly anticipate Peach Fest, it’s nothing compared to the people who want to see happy faces enjoying it all each year.

Based on the generous attendance of years past, there’s little reason to believe most of the community will not somehow engage in the festivities in at least some form or fashion.

Reckon we’ll see you there.