Old Cloverdale Festival Highlights College Street Park
People living in Old Cloverdale are keeping their history alive with the Old Cloverdale Festival, an idea that came when neighbors learned there had been a similar event held in Cloverdale more than a century ago.
“I brought this to the neighborhood specifically with my past living in a historic neighborhood and having a may fest there and just thought it would be a really nice addition to showcase our parks and come out and be with each other,” says coordinator Emily Brown.
The festival started with residents of Old Cloverdale taking part in a parade, including this year’s May Queen, Wetumpka High School senior Katie Martin. Children walked in the parade and danced around a maypole.
“This is one of the very best events that our neighborhood has. Our neighbors are always close and so to have something that we can all gather around is really good for us. It’s always like this. Everybody knows everybody. I’ts a very close knit community,” says Old Cloverdale resident Taylor Jernigan.
The festival is hosted by the Old Cloverdale Association and highlights College Street Park.
“We spend a lot of time on our parks and keeping them up,” says Brown.
“I’m a graduate of Huntington College and for many, many decades Huntington had a May Queen, a May pole, May festival. They stopped that at some point and time and so now this not only is a new event for us but pays homage to that history down the street at Huntington,” says “Old Cloverdale Mayor,” Brian Mann.
People living in the area say it is also their way of getting summer started early.
“It is just for the neighbors to get out and mingle right before summer and kids to meet each other. Maybe to make new playmates,” says Brown.
There are 5 parks in the Old Cloverdale neighborhood.
