Sand Mountain Reporter

More people attended the first-ever Pumpkin Jam in Sardis City on Saturday than the entire population of Sardis City.

Between 3,200 and 3,500 concertgoers checked out the Pumpkin Jam, featuring Country Music Association nominee Jake Owen and singer/songwriter John Stone, organizers said.

Sardis City’s population is 2,121.

The Pumpkin Jam was presented by WQSB and the Sand Mountain Corn Maze in Sardis City.

Jenna Payne, of WQSB, praised Wade and Donna Cahela for presenting a “flawless” event.

“They had every single aspect of handling a concert handled,” Payne said. “I’ve been around lots of concerts and it’s not that way. It was a great family entertainment event.”

The Cahelas’ daughter, Kasey Cannon, said the plan is to continue Pumpkin Jam annually with more country acts.

“It’s in the middle of a cornfield, so I don’t think rap would go off too good,” Cannon said. “This year was kind of a learning experience. Every year we’re going to try to get bigger.”

Harvest Festival

Timing the Pumpkin Jam on the same weekend as the Harvest Festival probably helped boost concert attendance as thousands of people descended on Boaz for the city’s 45th annual event on Friday and Saturday.

“We had a big crowd,” Boaz Mayor Tim Walker said. “I think the crowd was up more so than it had been in recent years. I don’t know how much that had to do with our promotion or how much it had to do with the good Lord blessing us with great weather. Boaz schools were out Friday, and I think that helped.

“The Chamber did an extremely good job of putting it together. It just seemed like people were genuinely ready to have fun this year.”

Walker said he ate too much at the Harvest Festival.

“Italian sausage on a bun,” he said, still relishing the memory on Monday. “I ate something of everything down there just about.”

Next year city leaders hope to have a completely renovated downtown mall area to hold the festival.

“I think it will allow us to set up some stages any direction we want to and allow more people to enjoy the acts,” Walker said. “I’m just cautiously optimistic we’ll get this project done by next Harvest Festival.”

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

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Albertville, Alabama 35950

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