FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Approximately 1,000 people attended the local “tea party” event during its three hours of song, speeches, waving of advocacy signs and signing of petitions Wednesday afternoon at the Fairhope Municipal Pier, according to Gene Labrato, one of the main organizers. Some media reports estimated attendance at 500. Standing for “Taxed Enough Already,” TEA party local events were held in hundreds of cities around the country and also featured prominently throughout the day on Fox News, where a number were attended by well-known personalities for that network, such as Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and others.

“The event exceeded our wildest dreams,” Labrato said. “We collected a database of names and e-mail addresses of concerned voters and will probably have another rally around July 4 this year.”

Labrato said the focus of the event was to send the message to federal and state legislators that citizens have been taxed enough and that spending is out of control.

“We see the country going socialist, and we’re not going to stand for it,” he said.