Alaina Meets & Greets Community on the Streets
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The 47th Annual Vidalia Onion Festival had a unique sight on Friday, April 26, as concert headliner Lauren Alaina strolled the downtown streets, buying from local vendors, meeting the public, and enjoying all the festivities.
In the past, concert performers have been known to stick to their busy schedules of sound checks and more, leaving continued from page
them confined to the stage area. Alaina changed this dynamic, as she stepped off her bus on Friday and began shopping at the vendor booths and downtown businesses, never failing to share a smile or photo with the public. She even stopped by the Downtown Vidalia Association (DVA) “Onion Rings & Things” event to not only try the famous dish, but to also help volunteers cook.
“Having Lauren come try our onion rings and meeting her was incredible,” DVA Director Tonya Parker remarked. “She was so friendly, and completely fit in well in our town! We are so grateful that she took the time to come out and enjoy the downtown festivities.”
Some other stops that Alaina made in her time downtown included meeting Miss Vidalia Onion Kylin Miller, getting a custom hat from Tres Chicas, and even commemorating her time in Vidalia with a piece of permanent jewelry. She took several pictures along the way with festival attendees and fans, sharing that same sweet southern hospitality that Vidalia is known for.
“Tres Chicas was lucky to get a surprise visit from Lauren Alaina and were able to present her with her very own custom Sweet Onion Trucker Hat!” Store Co-Owner Angela Lane commented. “While she was in the shop, she sang the best rendition of Happy Birthday to [one of the children in our store]! She was so genuinely friendly and gracious!”
After the festival, the Rossville, Georgia, native took to social media to share her reflections on the experience. “This weekend felt like home to me!” she wrote. “Thank you, Georgia, for having me and showing us a good time. These are the shows that make me so proud to come from a small town just like these.”
