The Second Weekend in October
The annual John Blue Cotton Festival is held on the grounds of the historic John Blue home. A family oriented event, the festival offers activities for folks of all ages. It includes tours of the home and early 1800s cabins, exhibits, a mule powered cotton gin, tractor games, hit and miss engines, train rides, live entertainment, a museum, craft shows, hayrides, pony rides, children's games and food galore!
Vendor Applications
Vendor Applications are currently closed.
vendor information
Applications open in early March and close 2 months before the festival.
General Info
Craft Booth Spaces are 12' x 14'
Commercial food booths are 16' x 16'
Vendors must provide all set-up equipment
ALL booth materials must fit inside designated space
Working out of personal vehicles is not permitted
Prohibited items include stink bombs, poppers, silly string, rubber bands, and projectiles of any kind. The committee reserves the right to refuse sale of any item deemed objectionable.
Vendors may request specific booth assignments. Every effort will be made to accommodate this, but it is not guaranteed.
Vendors using warming or cooking devices MUST have a charged and inspected appropriate fire extinguisher in their booth area.
No pets allowed on festival grounds.
Vendors requiring insruance must have their own.
All application fees are non-refundable.
events
Join us the in October for the annual John Blue Cotton Festival.
Opening ceremony begins promptly at 9 am. House tours will begin on the hour every hour. Old timey games is open for children to play. We have a dsiplay ofcrafts from local artists on site for viewing. The old store museum is open for visitors to step back into time. Walk up the stairs to the top of the gin to learn how the mule operated on site. Stop by the pastor’s study to see the well preserved study hall of a local pastor.
schedule Coming soon
History
John Blue Festival
John Blue Cotton Festival began in 1983 years ago as a way to educate school children about early farm life, but it has since become a much anticipated community gathering.
This year’s festival will be held Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds of the John Blue House at 13040 X-Way Road. Admission is $5.
The first event some was a display of antique machinery and displays about farm-life. The life of inventor John Blue was the main focus, according to historian and descendant, Jim Blue.
That display soon grew into the John Blue Cotton Festival that is now equal parts country fair, hoedown, social gathering, history museum and crafter’s paradise.
THE JOHN BLUE HOUSE
In the 1890s, when success came to John Blue, he built on his land what is called "one of the beautiful and typical homes of the Southland." It's gothic steamboat features lace-like trimmed two-tier porches which encircles the house. 12 unique doors to the home are found on the outside.
THE MCNEILL LOG HOUSE
In 1820, brothers Daniel and Duncan McNeill, settled in the Laurel Hill area. It is believed that Daniel built the McNeill log cabin in the area in 1828.
Contact
For more information contact us via email at johnbluefestival@gmail.com.