Celebrating heritage

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SILVERHILL, Alabama -- The town of Silverhill celebrated its annual Heritage Day Festival on Saturday, April 22 in the town square.

Heritage Day was established in 1982 to celebrate the town’s heritage, primarily Swedish and Czech.

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.

Prior to the festival last year, the decision was made not to hold the festival in September and move it to the third Saturday in April.

This year’s festival once again encompassed all four corners of the park surrounding the gazebo adjacent to town hall, with more than 30 arts and crafts vendors, entertainment, displays and a kids area with games, a petting zoo and train rides.

Local artist and historian C.C. “Peco” Forsman also gave a presentation on the town’s history at the historic People’s Supply building.