An event planned for Saturday in Clanton is intended to bring people together.

The first May Day Festival will be held at E.M. Henry Park in the West End community.

Clanton City Councilman Greg DeJarnett said he worked with the West End Neighborhood Watch group to plan the event.

“As a councilman, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while now: pull the community together and have a day where we all come together and eat, play music and play games,” DeJarnett said. “It will be just a good, positive community event.”

DeJarnett said organizers plan to hold the event on the second Saturday in May every year.

“We want the event to grow in scope each year and serve as a homecoming of sorts for people who have grown up in the community and moved away.”

American Legion Post Commander Barbara White will give a call to order, and Paul Dickerson, executive committee chairman for WENW will welcome those in attendance.

Retired Master Sgt. Ocie Williams will give remarks, as will various public officials. Command Sgt. Major Carl Zeigler will be the keynote speaker.

At 11 a.m., a monument at E.M. Henry Park will be unveiled that will serve as a memorial to two locals who were killed in service of their country: Charles Turner and George Alexander, who was the 2,000th American soldier killed in the conflict in Iraq.

After the ceremony, attendees are invited to grill out and participate in several planned activities, including softball games for adults and youth, sack races, relay races, horseshoes, volleyball and tug of war.

DeJarnett thanked everyone who contributed to preparing for the May Day Festival, and especially Mayor Billy Joe Driver, the city of Clanton, West End Neighborhood Watch and the E.M. Henry Park maintenance crew.

West End Neighborhood Watch has listed its vision for improving the community, including cleaning up, beautifying, providing programs and events, and helping the community through adopting a family at Christmas, holding a student scholarship banquet and sponsoring back-to-school supplies for students, among other efforts.