Lovers of food, art and the outdoors alike have something to look forward to as Wetumpka gears up for its third annual Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival (WEWA) on October 19.
Cooking demonstrations by MasterChef Junior winner Bryson McGlynn and noted Alabama chef Ricky Albright highlight the schedule for the third annual Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival (WEWA).
The festival, which is free and open to the public, begins Saturday, Oct. 19 at 9:45 a.m. and runs through 4 p.m., on the banks of the Coosa River in downtown Wetumpka. It is presented by the Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts, known to locals as “The Kelly.”
McGlynn, a 12-year-old from Opelika known as Cheese Curd, was crowned MasterChef Junior 2024 on the American TV cooking series broadcast by Fox, and Albright, a Troy resident, has developed a national following through his Iron Fire Cooking demonstrations on social media. Their cooking demonstrations are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and the duo’s dishes will be available to sample.
“The cooking demonstrations will be a major highlight of this year’s festival,” said Ava Claire Mattox Miller, who serves as special events coordinator at The Kelly. “But that’s not all. We also have many other activities for outdoors enthusiasts. The festival really has something for everyone.”
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Mixology seminars and tastings – at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – will be led by Trace Barnett, host of “Garden Party” on Alabama Public Television, and award-winning writer Christiana Roussel.
Other activities include demonstrations from Goldbeck Gun Dogs, Bullseye with Bennett Archery, “Meet the Cockers” with Covey Flush, and the Alabama School of Fly Fishing.
Several organizations are sponsoring all-day activities, including the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF), the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and “Build Your Own Wood Duck Box” from the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA).
“WEWA has quickly become known as Alabama’s premier wildlife arts festival and one of the state’s top events. We are honored, once again, to be a part of it because it shines a spotlight on our great outdoors,” ALBBAA director Pam Swanner said. “It is truly a must-see event on Alabama’s festival calendar.”
The festival also features an art exhibition, which began Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 22 at The Kelly, and a separate juried art show. The juried art show is sponsored by the Alabama Wildlife Federation and LIV Development. Auburn graduate Jared Knox, who won the 2023 WEWA art competition, and fellow wildlife artist Sue Key will be painting in the Kelly during the festival.
Soul-Grown is also sponsoring a tail-gate tent for the first time this year, which will allow college football fans to stay informed about Auburn’s road game at Missouri, Alabama’s visit to Tennessee and the rest of the day’s action. The festival also includes children’s activities, live music and many food and other vendors.
A ticketed Saturday night event has been added to the festival this year, the Oyster Roast and Bourbon Toast, which caps the day’s festivities.
“The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival allows Wetumpka to shine and shows just how special Wetumpka is,” said Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association founder Thomas Harris, whose family worked alongside The Kelly and the City of Wetumpka to create WEWA. “It’s gratifying to see how the festival has grown, and I’m so excited about this year’s lineup. It’s going to be another special day.”
The Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival is supported by the following sponsors: Smoot Harris Family, LIV Development, Regions Bank, Alabama Power, Alabama Wildlife Federation, Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association, City of Wetumpka, Buffalo Rock, Wind Creek Wetumpka, state Rep. Troy Stubbs, and The Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts.
For more information visit: https://thekelly.org/wewa/
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270
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