Sweet Week In Vidalia

mrandolphadvance@gmail.com

The 48th Annual Vidalia Onion Festival brought food and fun to the weekend, as community members and visitors alike enjoyed concerts, rodeos, a street dance, an onion run, an arts and crafts festival, a recipe contest, and more.

Throughout the festival, several contests and competitions were also underway, as people showcased their talents and abilities inside and outside the kitchen.

On Wednesday, April 23, local high school students competed to see who could create the best sidewalk chalk drawings continued from page

around both the Vidalia Onion and a dancing in the street theme. Ultimately, it was Vidalia High School Seniors Lily Grace Maybin and Noah Varn who were victorious in the competition. Fellow Vidalia High School Students Emilynn Campbell and Gabby Barton earned the second place honors, while Toombs County High School Students Julissa Borja and Leia Bradley took third place.

At the Vidalia Onion Recipe Contest on Saturday, April 26, several chefs were recognized for their delicious creations in various categories. The overall winner was Josh Allen, whose bacon-wrapped onion rings were a crowdfavorite.

Allen’s onion rings also claimed the top honors in the miscellaneous category, as Jayne Coleman’s Vidalia Onion Pop Tart and Janice Graham’s Onion Pasta were also amongst the top three dishes.

In the side dish category, it was Allen’s mother Elaine Allen that took home the prize, as her Vidalia Onion and Apple Chicken Salad earned her 1st place in the competition. Mary Dunn and her Sweet Mac and Cheese was also a favorite, earning her second place, while Pam Bishop’s Vidalia Onion and Honey Baked Beans took home 3rd place honors.

Eve Heaton was victoriuous in the appetizer category, as her Vidalia Spring Roll Dip found favor with the judges. Charlee Adams honored her late grandmother with her original, “Luci’s Dip,” and earned second place honors. Janice Graham rounded out the top three spots with her caramelized onion dip.

Also, on Saturday, competitors gathered at the Vidalia Onion Festival Arts & Crafts Festival stage to see who had what it took to win the World Famous Onion Eating Competition.

In the 12 and under competition, Tiny Miss Vidalia Onion Ryleigh Gray Hitchcock proved her love of the onion by tying for first place with Hudson Crow. The pair were followed by 3rd Place Winner Sawyer Harvill, who was not far behind them.

Only two teenagers were brave enough to compete in the 12-17 year-old division, as Peyton Coursey took top honors and Finley Crow came in a close second.

In the adult division, newcomer Brandon LaMone – an El Paso, Texas, native working in Baxley, Georgia – took home the gold. Joshua Sweeney came in a close second, and Jonathan Flowers followed not far behind in 3rd place.

Overall, it was a safe and fun weekend according to Vidalia Onion Festival Committee Chairman Andy Woodruff, who said that he was immensely grateful for all the festival committee, volunteers, and others who came together to make the festival possible.

Vidalia Onion Festival Committee Chair of Volunteers Paige Alexander also spoke on her gratitude to everyone who gave their time to make sure that the festival was possible. “Simply put, the festival cannot happen without the volunteers who take time away from their lives to help every year. This year, the Forge stepped up in a major way, providing dozens of volunteers who helped us day in and day out the entire week of the festival and even helped with cleanup/break down after everything ended. I would also like to extent my thanks to VHS BETA and CTAE, TCHS Cheerleaders and football team, and RTCA,” she emphasized. “Every year, I feel so optimistic about the future of the festival with so many people willing to step in and help. We live in such a generous community, and I am so thankful for everyone willing to give their time.”

The 49th Annual Vidalia Onion Festival will occur next April, and is sure to bring just as much excitement, fun, and memories as this year.

CHALK WALK 1ST PLACE – Drawn by Lily Grace Maybin and Noah Varn.

CHALK WALK 2ND PLACE – Drawn by Emilynn Campbell and Gabby Barton.

CHALK WALK 3RD PLACE – Drawn by Julissa Borja and Leia Bradley.