Peach Festival kicking off two weekends of juicy fun

For its 30th anniversary, the Georgia Peach Festival has added new events to its two-weekend lineup.

First, starting at noon Friday, there will be a family-fun day at Festival Park in Fort Valley.

Activities for the event include parachute games, carnival rides, inflatable rides and a free concert starting at 7 p.m. featuring the Conquest Show Band.

Saturday will have more of the same type of festival pastimes. At 11 a.m. Miss America Betty Cantrell will perform and sign autographs at the Austin Theatre.

The World’s Largest Peach Cobbler will start being served at 2 p.m.

“We are also holding a womanless wet T-shirt pageant,” said Sandra Khoury, president of the Georgia Peach Festival.

The festival is looking for contestants for this pageant, which starts at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Also that day will be the Byron Area Historical Society luncheon at Byron United Methodist Church.

The next weekend also brings a new endeavor. The Peach Blossom Gala will be at 7 p.m. June 10 with performances from Las Vegas Legends and Elvis impersonator Randy Stephens. The semi-formal event will be held at the Peach Conference Center at the Peach Shops in Byron.

This new event benefits the American Cancer Society.

There are more than 80 vendors signed up for the event at Festival Park in Fort Valley on Friday and Saturday, as well as at the Byron event June 11 which starts at 3 p.m. and ends with fireworks at North Peach Park on White Road. Music, starting at 8 p.m., will feature Tres Hombres and The Has Beens.

Items for sale by vendors include fair food, ethnic art, handmade earrings and homemade soaps.

“There is lots of cool stuff,” Khoury said.

Peaches from local growers will be sold at both locations as well.

Some of the events, such as the gala, have a fee, but admission to the fun days are free. Armbands will be available for purchase for rides and games. Area churches have donated items for free activities for children, including a cake walk and other games.

“This year is a newer, bigger, better Peach Festival,” Khoury said.

For more information, visit www.GaPeachFestival.com or call 478-825-4002.

This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Peach Festival kicking off two weekends of juicy fun."