Rain dampens second day of Juliette's Green Tomato Festival

JULIETTE -- Umbrellas dotted McCrackin Street on Sunday for the final day of Juliette's 12th annual Green Tomato Festival.

Vendors protected their wares -- canned peppers, birdhouses, crochet-crafted items, wooden walking sticks and more -- underneath tents while light rain fell.

The arts and crafts fair, which celebrates the town's fame in being the place where the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes" was filmed about two dozen years ago, had the largest number of vendors ever on Saturday with 56 booths, chairman Tommy Moon said.

But, with wet weather forecast, only about 20 booths remained Sunday. Those began to close by midafternoon as the rain started falling heavier.

Vendors said Halloween didn't deter crowds on Saturday, the busier day of the two-day festival.

Children in costumes were running up and down the street, said Robin Head, of Juliette, who sold crochet-crafted items, salon products and makeup at two adjoining booths, Sassy Chic and Ya Ya Head.

Cheryl Wanke, who traveled from west Georgia to sell yard art, ceramics and holiday decor, said Saturday was a good day for sales, but she'd also sold items Sunday. Her husband said Sunday was the first time it's rained during the festival in the eight years they've sold there.

Further down the street, Mary Zane Swearingen, of Jackson, said she and her husband had sold some University of Georgia birdhouses Sunday despite the Bulldog's loss Saturday to the Florida Gators.

Brandi Womack, her mother and two foreign exchange students drove from Warner Robins to attend the festival Sunday.

After showing the students the movie -- one of her family's favorites -- Womack and her mom wanted to show the students a glimpse of Southern culture by attending the festival, she said.

Chelsea Musse, of Juliette, said her family visits the festival each year. They lined up for a funnel cake before the food vendors shut down.

Money raised from the festival will stay in Juliette and go toward improving old buildings downtown and next year's festival, Moon said.

To contact writer Amy Leigh Womack, call 744-4398 or find her on Twitter@awomackmacon.

This story was originally published November 1, 2015 at 10:48 PM with the headline "Rain dampens second day of Juliette's Green Tomato Festival ."