ELBERTA, Ala. — Saturday in Elberta was filled with food, fun and music, as the Elberta Fire Department hosted the semi-annual Elberta German Sausage Festival at the Elberta Town Park.

People came from not just in and around Elberta for the benefit designed to raise funds for the town of Elberta. Instead, they came from south of the state line.

“I’ve been coming every year since I moved here five years ago,” said Pensacola, Fla., resident Carol Cacy during the day-long event.

Her friend and fellow Pensacola resident, Cheryl Johneckeck, explained what drew her to the event for a third time.

“It’s a nice festival,” she said.

That was around lunchtime. But rain and thunderstorms earlier in the day threatened the success of the event.

“It started off slow,” said Elberta Fire Chief Steve Kirkpatrick during the festival.

But once the clouds parted and the sun appeared, the masses came.

“It’s really picked up,” Kirkpatrick said.

With no admission charged, counting the visitors wasn’t possible. But the Fire Department estimates that the event draws approximately 30,000 visitors.

What attracted visitors was the chance to listen and dance to free live entertainment that included music with a German flare. And dance they did, sporting skills with the waltz, polka and that party favorite — the chicken dance.

But the German theme didn’t end there. Lines formed for German sausage cooked onsite.

Additional vendors had booths offering concessions as well. Plus, more booths with vendors selling arts and crafts, among other items were also on hand.

But the kids had their activities, too, with such features as a rock-climbing wall, inflatables and pony rides.

With Saturday’s event over, Kirkpatrick said he’s already looking toward the fall.

“We’ll do it again in October,” he said.