SILVERHILL, Alabama — After a brief hiatus, the annual Heritage Day Festival is back and organizers hope to give the festival a shot in the arm that will keep getting better and better from this year forward.
“We are trying to revitalize the festival and we want people to come out and enjoy the rich heritage and traditional that Silverhill has to offer,” said Gerald Ardoin, owner of Café Acadiana and one of the festival organizers.
Traditionally held the third Saturday in September, 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.

“There’s just so much going on in September that we have to compete with,” Ardoin said. “There’s a lot going on at this time of year too, but we felt that by having it in the spring, we’d be having at a time when people are ready to get up and enjoy the outdoors.”
This year’s festival will once again encompass all four corners of the park surrounding the gazebo adjacent to town hall, with more than 30 arts and crafts vendors ranging from jewelry, art, pottery, crushed glass, stained glass windows, painted windows, wood crafts and more.
Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. with a parade at 10 and all-day entertainment, including vehicles on display from the Gulf Coast Jeep Club and Antique Tractor & Engine Club; along with a petting zoo and train rides.
“Our theme this year was to be really family oriented,” Ardoin said, “and we really concentrated on having lots of activities for the kids.”
Also included in the day’s festivities will be a children’s game area, hosted by the Silverhill School PTA, which will include bounce houses and games. Something new this year is a demonstration of the sport of knockerball by Pensacola Knockerball.
“Picture soccer, but you are the ball,” Ardoin said, “Kids get a kick out of it, while adults like to show off their macho. It’s going to be a fun, safe sport that everyone will enjoy.”
Café Acadiana will be providing food for the festival, along with Goo Roo’s Grill, L.A. BBQ, Grandma’s Kettle Corn and a fish fry by the First Baptist Church.
One of the main goals of festival organizers was to attract top entertainment to the festival and this year will feature a complete line-up, with marquee performer Shelby Brown, Elberta resident and finalist on NBC’s The Voice, on stage from 3 to 5 p.m.
Leading up to Brown’s performance, 7th Green will perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by Deliverance 5 from 1 to 2 and Jacob Brock from 2 to 3.
Ardoin said he also wanted to thank town officials, employees and all the volunteers for their support of the festival, as well as event sponsors.
Sponsors for the festival this year include:
Gold sponsors: Café Acadiana, Baldwin EMC, Riviera Utilities, Johnson, Slaughter, Driver & Northcutt, P.A., Baldwin County Sewer Service, Terminix, United Bank.
Silver sponsors: Advantage Business Solutions, Joan’s Beauty Shop/Southern Grace Boutique; Citizens’ Bank.
Bronze sponsors: Silverhill Animal Clinic, Pratical Pools & Ponds LLC, Krob Landscape Inc., Harbison & Hoyt LLC, Gruenloh & Associations PC.
Friends of Heritage Day: Mack Funeral Home Inc., Racine Feed, Garden & Supply Inc.
“We are always looking for volunteers and we are hoping that next year’s festival will be even better,” Ardoin said. “We want to keep building the festival and make this a place people will come back to year after year.”
Anyone who would like to provide input or would like festival or sponsorship information, contact the town hall at 251-945-5198.