When Willie Mae Baker — of Athens — arrived at the Alabama A&M Agribition Center in Huntsville on Tuesday, May 14, she knew she was in store for a good time at the Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments’ Senior Fun Fest.
“It’s a big old fun thing I’m used to coming to,” Baker, who has been attending the annual festival for at least 10 years, said. “I love it. I love it.”
Baker regularly attended the Tanner Senior Center. She joined other seniors on three buses, from the Limestone County on Aging, for the annual Senior Fun Fest — a celebration for Older Americans Month in the TARCOG region.
One thing was different for the 37th annual Senior Fun Fest, for the first time in the event’s history it was not held at Sharon Johnston Park in New Market.
TARCOG executive director Michelle Jordan said it was a tough decision because everyone loves the park, but the forecasted rain and storms forced a last-minute change to the Agribition Center, where events could be safely held indoors.
Aside from a few sprinkles throughout the morning, participants from DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties got to have their celebration before the forecasted rain and storms later in the afternoon.
Nearly 800 people packed inside the Agribiton Center to enjoy musical and dance performances, games, refreshments, lunch and door prizes from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Three TARCOG board members from Limestone County attended to support the Senior Fun Fest, including County Commission Chair Colin Daly, Athens City Councilman James Lucas, and former interim director of the Limestone County of Aging Helen Carter.