A “huge success” is how last Saturday’s 19th Annual Bremen Towne Festival was characterized by organizer Linda Bulifant of the GFWC Bremen Junior Woman’s Club, the sponsoring organization.

“We were pleased by the turnout. The weather could not have been more perfect,” said Bulifant. “It was a beautiful fall day to enjoy the festival.

“We had some great new vendors, a variety of new activities for children, fantastic food, wonderful entertainment and an outstanding parade. On behalf of the hard working Junior Woman’s Club members, I would like to thank everyone who attended, the volunteers, the entertainers, the vendors and ad sponsors who helped make the festival a financial success, and the City of Bremen for hosting us,” Bulifant added.

The parade Grand Marshal was Lance Dyer, of the Dakota Dyer Foundation, created in memory of his late son for the prevention of illicit drug use. “Stinky the Drug Skunk,” the foundation mascot who says that “drugs stink,” accompanied Dyer on the parade route.

A large red mailbox was displayed at the foundation’s exhibit to collect expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which will be destroyed. The collection mailbox is now at the Bremen Police Department, as well as all other municipality police departments and the Haralson County Sheriff’s Office, for those who wish to rid their medicine cabinets of out-of-date drugs.

Another example of the many community services at the festival was an Eagle Scout project by 14-year-old Christian Cobb of Boy Scout Troop No. 259, co-chartered to First Baptist and First United Methodist Churches of Bremen. Cobb said his project was the “creation of security I.D. cards to aid law enforcement in searching for missing children and to provide health information for schools.” Scoutmaster Ben Jones said he was enthusiastic about the project.

Also, prior to initiating patient examinations later this month, Tanner Health Systems’ 40-foot mobile mammography unit was available for inspection by festival-goers.

“We are getting out in the community, letting people know about our facility,” said Virginia Fortson of Bowdon, the unit’s mammography technician. Fortson showed visitors the dexa-scan table for measuring bone density and the mammography component which she said is “top-of-the-line, the same exact equipment used at the three Tanner women’s centers.”

Besides the serious service and ministry exhibits, there were scores of fun things to do, two venues for singers, dancers and entertainers of all kinds, as well as exotic foods to eat, such as chocolate covered funnel cakes and polish sausage. Many chose to sit by the fountain while resting from the hustle and bustle of festival activities.