Pine Tree Festival kicks off this weekend
Wally Gallian

This Saturday is the beginning of the much improved Pine Tree Festival. A staple of Emanuel County for nearly sixty years, the festival is undergoing a complete re-tooling designed to attract larger crowds and involve more local residents than ever before.

The festival, along with upgrades and enhancements to every facet of the celebration, is also sporting a new name. It is now called the Pine Tree Festival and Southeastern Timber Expo.

Many civic leaders and countless citizens have given new life to our festival and its economic impact on the area. East Georgia College President Dr. John Black is serving as the Board Chairman on this huge undertaking. Carol and H.G. Yeoumans, along with George Elder, are serving as co-chairpersons.

The festival kicks off on Saturday with the annual Pine Tree Breeze bicycle ride at 6:30 a.m. Next up is the Pine Tree Golf Tournament with the first tee-off at 8:00 a.m. Also on Saturday throughout the day are the Pine Tree Beauty Pageants sponsored by the Swainsboro Rotary Club. First day activities conclude with the Pine Tree Festival Flower Show held in the Richard L. Brown room at East Georgia College.

The new energies put into our festival do not last just a day or two, as was the way for so many years. The Pine Tree Festival has been an enduring success in Emanuel County and, now with vast improvements, the future appears very bright for a bigger and better festival for many years in the future.

Following all the events of the kickoff weekend, the second weekend is not to be missed. On Friday, May 3, the Pine Tree Festival 150 automobile race is scheduled at Swainsboro Raceway. Drivers from all points will be here to compete at our local track.

Saturday, May 4 brings more racing in the evening and a barbecue at the Emanuel County Farm and Home Museum located next to the Fairgrounds. The barbecue starts at 11:00 a.m. and lasts until 4:00 p.m. This provides the perfect opportunity to tour the museum, have a great meal before going to the races on Saturday evening.

In the expanded version of our Pine Tree Festival and Timber Expo, the third week hosts the most events and appeals to the widest audience possible with a great variety of offerings. The festivities start at the Swainsboro Recreation Department Complex on Wednesday, May 7.

Events at the Recreation Complex include demonstrations from the Swainsboro Fire Department, Georgia Forestry Commission, Shriners Hospital, a Civil War re-enactment, a lumberjack show and numerous other ongoing events. Check our pages for details of times and places for all Pine Tree events.

I encourage you to attend any Pine Tree events that are of interest. With all the new features, this festival certainly has something of interest to anyone.

Furthermore, I will do so personally and encourage every resident of Emanuel County to thank the many volunteers that have worked tirelessly to make these improvements to our festival. They are not large in number, but are strong in their resolve to make The Pine Tree Festival a success and a source of pride to all of us.

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