TRIANA – Residents of the Town of Triana are anticipating an upcoming festival that will offer a cookoff, children’s amusements, storytelling and a serving of history from the Smithsonian Institute.

The 2023 Triana Crossroads Festival will be held at Triana Flamingo Park on Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. “We hope to see you on Oct. 21st,” Triana Mayor Mary Caudle said.

Triana Historical Society is hosting the event.

Backyard grill masters can apply their know-how in cooking out with a BBQ Cookoff. The festival will include a two-mile run for people who are energetically inclined.

Volunteers will share valuable bits of history at storytelling stations. The topics will include facts about the Tennessee River that flows adjacent to Triana, the establishment and sustenance of Triana Health Center and a glimpse of the center’s ongoing history.

Visitors can buy raffle tickets for a chance at merchandise. A car show will please all ages with an impressive collection of vehicles.

Amusements for the children will include sack racing, creating an original piece of artwork, face painting and more. As music pumps up the crowd, vendors for food and ‘crafty’ items will attend the festival. The audience can learn about Cherokee Nation Red Wind.

Before arriving in Triana, the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” stopped at four other Alabama towns. A partnership between Alabama Humanities Alliance and the Smithsonian are providing the exhibit.

“Crossroads” examines the evolution of rural life during the past century and explores the ways that Americans have adapted. The exhibition studies transition of America’s rural population from a majority to a minority after people moved to cities. (alabamahumanities.org)

Transition for Triana involved the town’s “rejuvenation” in 1964. Triana citizens met at St. Paul United Methodist Church to complete the petition for the town’s improvements. The first mayor after the rejuvenation was Clyde Foster, who served until 1984.

Members of Triana’s first Town Council after rejuvenation were Mayor Clyde Foster, Jesse Bennett, David L. Barnes, Joe L. Fletcher, William A. Griffin and Erskine Parcus. The first public services were Triana Volunteer Fire Department and Police Department. Fletcher served as Police Chief, Fire Chief and City Engineer.

Friends from across the country who helped to make the festival possible are Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, Museum on Main Street, Blount County Memorial Museum, Lowndes Interpretive Center, Awbrey Public Library, Dowling Museum, Ann Rudd Art Center and Triana Historical Society.

Bring a lawn chair for relaxing. For more information, call 256-542-3252.