ELBERTA, Ala. — Elberta will hold its semi-annual Sausage Festival this Saturday, and the crowds are expected to come out in large numbers.

The Department has about 250 vendors selling merchandise, and more than 7,000 pounds of sausage to cook up.

“We are excited,” Fire Chief Steve Kirkpatrick said. “There are arts and crafts vendors, three bands, and of course lots of food to eat. There’s just something for everybody.”

If sausage isn’t your favorite food there will also be plenty of other options available, including potato salad, goulash, hamburgers, popcorn, hot dogs and the classic German dish, stuffed cabbage.

“This is a family event,” Kirkpatrick said. “The event is entertaining for everyone.”

In addition to the 7,000 pounds of sausage served at the festival, there will be uncooked sausage for sale, as well as more cooked sausage sold in Robertsdale for a grand total of seven tons of sausage.

Chuck Childress of Farm Fresh Meats in Robertsdale, who supplies the sausage, holds the key to the entire festival: the secret recipe.

“It’s an old German, family recipe,” Childress said. “It’s taken very seriously. The recipe is in my head. I’ve been making it since 1979.”

The festival, which serves as a fundraiser for the department usually brings in about $40,000, and Kirkpatrick expects a similar number this year.

“We need the money because it not only serves to help our department, but the community, churches, and local non-profits too,” he said.

The department recently purchased a new fire engine for $475,000 and hopes to use some of the funds raised to pay it off, in addition to paying for other bills and training.

“We have one of the largest jurisdictions in Baldwin County,” he said. “We are also independent from the city, so this is an important event.”

The first order ever placed for the festival was for 200 pounds and has clearly grown over the years.

“People need to know not to wait to get there,” Childress said. “Last year we were out of sausage by noon, and there were still hundreds of people waiting in line who didn’t get any. So get there early.”