It’s raining peaches! — Chilton County celebrates its 20th Peach Jam despite any rain related obstacles
Published 9:28 am Wednesday, June 18, 2025
The Peach County celebrates its peachy history with vendors and concerts at Clanton City Park.
The Peach County celebrates its peachy history with vendors and concerts at Clanton City Park.
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By Andrew White | Staff Writer
Between hole six and seven of the Peach County Disc Golf Course last Friday and Saturday sat a massive obstacle for anyone playing the course. The massive obstacle, of course, was over 350 vendors and around 20,000 people filtering in and out of the course for the 20th Peach Jam Jubilee.
“Peaches, peaches, peaches,” said co-owner of Durbin Farms Colby Jones when asked what his most popular product at the Jam was.
The first Peach Jam Jubilee would not have been a hazard for disc golfers as it was held in downtown Clanton. It had around 50 local vendors. Something that was honored at the 20th Jam this year when only Chilton County Chamber of Commerce vendors were allowed to set up on Friday night for the Christian concert, which was set up by the City of Clanton Arts Council.
“We’re just happy to support local businesses,” said John Mabus, an attendee from Jemison.
Between the deep fried peaches, peach ice cream, barbecue sauce, blood pressure readers, peach outdoor, sports apparel, lemonade, axe throwing, concerts and so much more, there was no shortage of organizing to pull off for the Chilton County Chamber of Commerce team of two of Rachel Martin and Brandy Clackley.
“We’re a staff of two at the Chamber, so as far as organizing the vendors goes it can get a little overwhelming, but we are so happy to have it and we’re excited for growth every year,” said Martin, the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce.
If the hefty number of vendors did not pose a problem, the Chamber of Commerce team also faced rain and lightning delays as well as a flooding complication. However, they still got the Jam organized.
“A couple of rain delays Friday and Saturday, but the people came out and it was a great success,” said Martin.
Due to heavy rain in the weeks leading up to the Jam, part of the vendors section was too wet. The Chamber of Commerce, Sally Wall and the park crews reworked the vendor setup all to one side of the creek. This set up will only be a one year thing according to Martin.
The festival has grown from its early stages in downtown Clanton and even from when it was hosted at the football field to an event that is looked forward to statewide. An event that helps local businesses and is attended by businesses all over Alabama.
“We gotta get some of those Chilton County peaches,” said attendee Janet Smelley from Tuscaloosa.
Peaches, which are the main attraction of the festival, and the main theme, are something that the Chamber of Commerce hopes it honors when planning the festival. As well as small businesses and local farmers, the Jam was originally thought up by late Chamber of Commerce Director Mike Robertson to honor the crop that put Chilton County on the map.
“We are so thankful for Mike Robertson, the former chamber director, for the vision he had when he started this,” said Martin.
Robertson’s detailed files and notes still help the Chamber of Commerce with the festival today. Since the first festival downtown, to the festival at the football field, to the 20th Jam that was held today, the Peach Jam Jubilee continues to grow.
“I think it’s just going to grow each year, and I hope that’s the case as well,” said Martin. “I hope that in 20 years they can look back and say ‘I remember when it was just this and look where it’s come.”’
The sheer size of the festival was something that many vendors and customers were surprised by. Despite the 84 degree heat, the festival still had a great turn out, the numbers for which will come out in the next couple of weeks from the Chamber of Commerce.
The Jam was topped off by a concert on Saturday night by Ashley McBride and Larry Fleet.
Photos by BRANDON SUMRALL | SPECIAL
