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Traditional, “country folks” entertainment has always been featured at Glenwood’s annual celebration of its historic Artesian Well, but the traditional entertainment and event schedule is changing up a bit this year.  There’ll still be lots of children’s activities, including a first time visit from Critters for Christ, a travelling petting zoo, plus local arts and crafts, carnival food vendors, and a non-stop lineup of South Alabama’s best entertainers all on stage from early morning to late at night; and those are just some of what 24 years of festival goers have come to expect and appreciate each year on the third Saturday in May.

The little town of Glenwood is centered around an old “flowing” or Artesian well.  The “Flowing Well” has been a gathering place near the confluence of Crenshaw, Coffee, and Pike counties since Glenwood first came into being in the mid-1800s. The streets and grounds surrounding the landmark flowing well will be filled to overflowing with food vendors, arts and crafts booths, and lots of fun activities for the kids. Delicious smoked barbecue with all the trimmings will be served up by the Glenwood Volunteer Fire Department on site, with take home quantities available until they sell out.

The Glenwood Festival promises to be one of Alabama’s best entertainment values, too.  Steve Holmes, long-time emcee for the event says, “This year The Festival’s stage show opens with an all new event known as “Howl-N-at the Well,” a first time event for us featuring a doggy costume contest. “We know how folks love their dogs, especially in our neck of the woods, so we’ve decided to honor our friends with an event just for them.” Please call a Festival Foundation board member for details on entering your dressed up doggy.

Scheduled to perform after the dog show are long time favorites like Harlan Burton, the Benton Brothers Bluegrass Company, Amanda, Dara and Tim Hale (also known as Cloudy with a Chance of Hale), The Conecuh River Boys, and Kat Deal. The Crenshaw County Community Gospel Choir will also be making a return appearance after a few years off and “we’re tickled to death about that!” Holmes added. In addition, you’ll enjoy performances by the American Legion Line Dancers, Terry Tompkins, Taylor Weeks, and Matt Holmes, who’s been a big hit the last couple of years.

“We’ve had entertainment varying from local dancers and karaoke singers, to Grammy-winning songwriters and session musicians and everything in between,” Holmes added.  “There are usually some very well-known surprise guests, as well.”

The Festival kicks off with a parade at 9 a.m. and winds down with a street dance beginning at 7 p.m. featuring Lenny Trawick and the band Country Rhythm and Blues.  Reservations are still available for parade participants, tables for the street dance, Doggy Costume Contestants, and vendor booths.  For more information you may contact (334) 335-3165 or (334) 335-3426.

Tickets for the festival are available at the gate and run $5 for adults and $1 for kids under 12 and they’re good all day and night. The Glenwood Festival at the Well foundation is a non-profit group supporting a scholarship program for young people from in and around Glenwood and is an annual event of downtown Glenwood, Alabama held on the third Saturday in May.  This year marks the 24th Annual Festival on May 20.