Event organizers continue to strive to make the event bigger and better as Silverhill celebrates its 24th Heritage Day Saturday, Oct. 20 on Main Street.

The event will kick off with the Silverhill Heritage Day Run beginning at 8 a.m.

Pre-registration is still going on with the deadline to register Saturday, Oct. 13. Race day registration will be held from 6:45 to 7:40 a.m. Preregistration costs $15 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under. Event day registration costs $18 for adults, $12 for children 12 and under.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three overall male and female, Masters, Grandmasters, and race walkers with prizes also for the top three male and female finishers in up to 15 age groups from 9 and under to 75 to 99.

Door prizes will be given away, but you have to be present to win. Registration fee includes a Festival t-shirt.

Registration can be mailed to Bryan Chandler, 21638 County Road 49, Silverhill, AL 36576.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the singing of the National Anthem by Bill Wade. Invocation will be given by Bob Ledger of Christian Faith Assembly with the presentation of colors by Boy Scout Troop 42 of Silverhill and Robertsdale Club Scout Pack 45.

Master of Ceremonies/DJ Jerry Byrd of Buckwild Productions will provide entertainment all day. The Baldwin County Maids of Jubilee will also be on hand.

Children’s events will include inflatables for all ages, a petting zoo and kids train, plus performances by the Fish River Baptist Church Christian Puppet show.

Following the parade at 10 a.m., the cast of South Baldwin Community Theatre’s production of Annie will perform at 10:30 a.m. followed by the First Baptist Youth Sing and Sign, k.b. danz studio, local band the Letter Green and a demonstration from Today’s Girl Beauty Pageant.

Students from Bob Kucera’s Martial Arts Academy will give a demonstration beginning at 3 p.m.

Over 50 arts and crafts and vendor booths will be available. Several information booths will be set up including the South Baldwin Autism and Asberger Society, Riley & Raley Foundation with information on the annual Angel Ride event and concerts, and the Baldwin County Heritage Museum.

South Baldwin Regional Medical Center will also be conducting blood pressure checks and the Baldwin County Animal Shelter will host a pet adoption event.

Food booths will also be available with German sausage, hamburgers and hotdogs, popcorn, chicken tenders and boiled peanuts, as well as drinks.

The Oscar Johnson Memorial Library will be hosting open house with story telling in honor of Kathi Reid, famed storyteller who died earlier this year.

Historic Zion Lutheran Church’s museum will be open with refreshments. Silverhill Evangelical Covenant Church will host a bake and plant sale.

The Silverhill Volunteer Fire Department will also host a Chili Cookoff at the Fire Hall.

Silverhill Town Hall will also be open on Friday and Saturday with displays representing the town’s over 100-year history and heritage.

The museum invites elementary school children from Baldwin County to visit the museum from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19. The museum will be open to the public all day Saturday, Oct. 20.

Tour guides will be available to answer questions students may have. There is no charge to visit the museum. Contact Bonnie McNeil or Amy Macon at Silverhill Town Hall, 945-5198 for more information.

For the second year, the Festival will feature sponsors. The Town of Silverhill will be a Gold Sponsor for the event along with Riviera Utilities and Baldwin EMC.

Silver sponsors are Citizens Bank, Loxley; Johnson, Slaughter, Wells & Associates, Dallas Drilling of Silverhill, Performance Graphics of Silverhill, Chuck Stevens Automotive, Wachovia of Foley, Stankoski, attorneys at law, of Fairhope, Visions Bank of Robertsdale, Read Roofing & Contracting of Silverhill, United Bank of Silverhill, Advantage Business Solutions Inc. of Silverhill, Danny’s Hydraulics of Robertsdale, Campbell Hardware of Robertsdale and Jared N. Lyles, attorney at law, of Silverhill.

Last year, more than $1,200 as a result of sponsorships from the festival was donated to the upkeep of the Silverhill Kids Park and Silverhill Ball Park.

The town of Silverhill was founded in 1896 under the direction of Oscar Johnson, head of the Svea Land Company from Chicago. Early Swedish colonists celebrated the popular Scandinavian holiday Mid-Summer Fest, first-mention of which in the town’s history can be found as early as 1904.

Heritage Day was established in 1982 to celebrate the town’s heritage, primarily Swedish and Czech and was held the third Saturday in September every year for the next 22 years before being postponed after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

The festival resumed in 2005, but was moved to October in 2006 because of the loss of shade from the town’s famous oak trees, which were damaged by the storm.