NEWNAN, Ga. (Top40 Charts/ Coweta Festivals) - The Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival opens for its 37th consecutive year on Labor Day Weekend with new entertainment as it continues to celebrate its proud tradition as host to innovative art exhibitions in this West Georgia community.
Held every year on the 100 acres of historic Powers Plantation in Newnan, Ga., near Franklin, Ga., the Powers' Crossroads Festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, and will wrap up at 5 p.m. Labor Day afternoon, Sept. 3, after a 2 p.m. concert by country singing star and Athens, Ga., native T. Graham Brown.
Festival hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personal, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Parking is free.
With a proud heritage as one of the best events in the Southeast, Powers brings back again this year its local Rising Star talent competition on the Festival's opening day. Beginning at 10 a.m. 50 contestants will vie for the title of the 2007 Powers' Crossroads Rising Star. Contestants will compete in one of three age categories: 15-18 years old; 19-34; and, 35 plus. Rising Star entry forms are available on line at https://www.newnan.com/powers.
This year's judges are Paul Lombardi and Scott Tigchelaar, owners of River Wood Studios, Senoia, Ga.; and Marilyn Haas, publisher of Arts and Expression Magazine. The judges will select a winner from each age group, and from that group of three, they -with some audience participation- will select the 2007 Powers' Crossroads Rising Star.
Each winner will receive a small cash award and prizes from Newnan area merchants. They will perform an Encore Show as the opening act for country singer T. Graham Brown on Monday, Sept. 2.
Brown, who arrived on the Nashville music scene in 1982, has been described as part Nashville Honky Tonk, Memphis Soul, New Orleans Funk, Texas Road House, Muscle Shoals Blues...and all heart. His release, "The Next Right Thing", was rated Top 5 Country CD by USA Today. The Chicago Tribune rated it the No 1 Country CD of the year.
His "Live At Billy Bobs" is getting rave reviews and he has just released a new single, "The Chase," which is the first song themed around NASCAR's Nextel Chase for the Championship. This unique song includes references to the sport's top drivers and race tracks.
Visitors to this year's festival can also find perennial favorites in shopping for unique arts and crafts. Each of the more than 200 artisans showcasing their work for sale is selected by judges during the course of the year.
This year, visitors may also see a limited viewing of a collection of over 200 pieces of art purchased by the Festival from 1971-2006. Each year the Festival art judges select several pieces to purchase as exemplary of that particular year's offerings at the Festival.
After 36 years this group of art known as the Purchase Awards has grown to more than 200 works.
The Powers' Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival is organized and produced by five local non-profit organizations as their annual major fundraiser with net proceeds divided among the organizations. They are: Newnan Coweta Chamber of Commerce, Newnan Coweta Arts Association, 4-H Clubs of Coweta County, Newnan Coweta Jaycees and The Pilots Club.
Presenting sponsors include Buffalo Rock Beverages and Food Services, Newnan, Ga., West Georgia Technical College, LaGrange, Ga., Toyota of Newnan, and WEKS Radio, The Bear, 92.5 FM, in Griffin, Ga., Barnes & Noble, and Papa Johns Pizza.
For more information and directions to the festival visit https://www.newnan.com/powers.
