It’s old school and its on

Buggy Days chairman Dick Esco vowed to make every effort to bring back buggies to Buggy Days and he has succeeded. There will be more buggies on display and in the parade than at anytime in recent history. ‘If we have one buggy, it will be more than in recent years,’ Esco quipped.Grand marshal Kelly Hughes and her family will ride in a stagecoach pulled by a team of Percheron horses provided by Dean Ryan of Concord. Ryan will also bring several other horse- or mule-drawn vehicles to town. If all goes well, the last ever buggy to roll of the Jackson G. Smith production line will also be featured in the parade.The main event weekend is now upon us. Here is a day-by-day schedule of events.Saturday, Sept. 21:Arts & Crafts Fair: Downtown Barnesville, 9 a.m. Crafters will line the streets all day and local churches and civic groups will operate various food booths. These groups often make their budgets for the entire year from Buggy Days patrons. A kids’ park will operate in the United Bank parking lot all day as well. Great emphasis has been placed on attracting true crafters to the festival and the weeding out of the ‘˜Walmart vendors’.Buggy Days Parade: Downtown Barnesville & Summers Field Park, 2 p.m. One of the longest parades in Georgia, featuring bands, floats, antique vehicles, buggies and mounted riders. The parade will be led by grand marshal and reigning citizen of the year Kelly Hughes.Street Dance: Rodeo arena on Roberta Drive, 6 p.m. This party will feature music by The Limelighters and Barnesville’s own Master Blasters. Fireworks will light the sky at 9:30 p.m. Football fans can watch the Georgia-Notre Dame football game on two large screen televisions. Beer and wine available.Sunday, Sept. 22:Community Worship Service: Depot Plaza downtown, 10 a.m. Hosted by First United Methodist Church, this event will feature the church choir, bell choir and the Crossroads praise team band. The United Methodist Men will provide biscuits, coffee and water. Pastor Cyndi McDonald will bring a brief story-telling style sermon entitled ‘A Fish Tale’. For more information, call 770-358-1494.Arts & Crafts Fair: Downtown Barnesville, 1-5 p.m.For more information, call the chamber office at 770-358-5884 or visit buggydays.org.