Annual Rooster Day celebration this weekend in Demopolis

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

If you like outdoor festivals and hand-made arts and crafts — you won’t want to miss the annual Rooster Day celebration Saturday in Demopolis.

The event celebrates the strange but true history — of how the Rooster Bridge near Demopolis came to be.

“And it’s all to commemorate the Great 1919 Rooster Auction that took place right here in public square where they auctioned off roosters to build a bridge over the Tombigbee River,” said event coordinator Kirk Brooker.

Rooster Day features hand-made arts and crafts — food — live music — games — and a whole lot of roosters.

“We’ve got 8-foot roosters that pop up along businesses that sponsor the event,” said Brooker.

“Even got a new mural that’s going up down here by Banks Compton of roosters as well. All part of that huge celebration.”

“This is a big cultural symbol here in Demopolis. But it’s also on the Chanticleer Center, which is a business center here which has office space for lease. And chanticleer is old French for rooster,” said mural artist Banks Compton.

“So, it’s kind of tongue in cheek playing off the building that it’s actually on and then working with the local events that are happening here in Demopolis.”

Brooker says this year’s Rooster Dat celebration could be the biggest one yet.

“Over 55 vendors and it’s all hand-made, he said.

“So, you’re not going to find retail, import, that kind of stuff. So, you’ve got art, pottery, photography, metal works, basket weaving. You name it, we’ve got it here. This our, officially our 9th year and each year it grows.”

The festivities kick-off at 8 in the morning with a 5-K run — followed by a 1-K Fun Run.

The outdoor festival on the public square downtown — gets underway at 9 — and wraps up around 4.