Join Musicians, Artisans and Four-Legged Friends September 19 at Alabama’s Top Event of the Year

FORT PAYNE, Ala. - Sept. 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Alabama’s tourism event of the year is planning an extra special event in 2015. Along with receiving the top accolade from the state, Boom Days Heritage Celebration observes its tenth anniversary this year and to celebrate both occasions, organizers are gearing up for a bigger and better festival that features an incredible lineup of musical performers, including one of the finest acoustic guitar players in the world, a children’s entertainment area, a 5K run/walk, pet parade and arts and crafts. Held annually in Fort Payne, Ala., this year’s event is set for September 19, 2015.

During the late nineteenth century, Fort Payne experienced a huge coal and iron boom, and in the twentieth century, a boom in textile manufacturing led to the city’s long time claim of “Sock Capital of the World.” As a nod to its manufacturing heritage, the mountaintop town hosts the Boom Days Heritage Celebration. In 2015, it celebrates its tenth anniversary and was named Event of the Year by the Alabama Tourism Department during the 2015 Alabama Tourism Awards held on August 3, 2015, as part of the Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Covering five blocks in the downtown district, street performers will take to the streets as a variety of music flows from three stages. Dozens of skilled artisans including quilters, potters, painters, and workers in iron, wood, and glass will be demonstrating their talents as part of the Holiday Inn Express City Park Invitational Art Show.

Live music cranks up at 10 a.m. and scheduled to perform at this year’s event on the Cheerwine / Donohoo Chevrolet Rotary Pavilion Stage are the legendary Muscle Shoals Swampers featuring Jackson Nance, Midnight Mob, Madd Wikkid, Rock Candy, Tucker Yochim Band, and headlining 3-time Grammy winner Delbert McClinton. The Verizon Wireless City Park Stage will feature Grammy winner Norman Blake, DieDra & the Ruff Pro Band, Pierce Pettis and others. All of the outdoor music is presented for free. The festival culminates with a performance by New Orleans JazzFest veterans Flow Tribe at the DeKalb Theatre at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. and admission is $10 per person. Tickets for the theatre show are available online at www.boomdays.org.

At 10 a.m., four-legged friends will take to the streets for the Humane Society 8^th Annual Pet Pawrade. The parade begins at the HS/AR DeKalb tent located in the Alabama Walking Park located on 5^th Street Southwest. Registration is required and will take place just prior to the parade at 9:30 a.m. The Humane Society will also have pets available for adoption.

The city’s downtown district will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additional activities include special performances by Dean’s Flying Disc Dogs, Yo-Yo professional Matt Mullins, YouTube hula-hoop star Katie Sunshine, and No More Mondays herding dogs, trapeze performances by Aerial Fabricators, a vintage automobile cruise-in, cultural and historical exhibits on display at the Depot Museum, Hosiery Museum and Coal & Iron Building, a children’s activity area in City Park, and sidewalk sales from downtown merchants. There will be a wine tasting in Hunt Reception Hall and the Down Home Café food court will feature pancakes and sausage for breakfast and pintos and cornbread for lunch in the parking lot at the intersection of Gault Avenue and 4^th Street North.

Held in conjunction with Boom Days, the 6^th annual Haulin’ for Hannah 5K Race and Fun Run begins at 8 a.m. The race course travels through the City of Fort Payne and down several side streets. The Lion's Club will host a barbecue fundraiser and the Methodist Men's Group will host a Pintos and Cornbread fundraising event along with the usual Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Fort Payne Kiwanis. Overall 5K male and female winners will receive a $100 prize. Registration is available online at www.racesonline.com/events/haulin-for-hannah.

On Thursday, September 17^th at 7 p.m., there will be a Blues Show featuring Georgia’s King of the Blues Guitar, Tinsley Ellis. Tickets are $10 each, $5 for students and may be purchased online at www.boomdays.org.

For more information, call DeKalb Tourism at 888.805.4740 or visit www.DiscoverLookoutMountain.com.