Dakota Nobinger and Shannon Johnsey sit on the Eva Church of Christ float prior to the Eva Frontier Days parade on Saturday. | Clif Knight

The Town of Eva rolled out the red carpet for townspeople and visitors alike on Saturday for the annual Frontier Days Festival, bringing to a climax a seven-day celebration with a record crowd in attendance.

The event is sponsored by Eva Art Guild.

Festival goers spent all or part of the day viewing antique farm tractors and cars and a big street parade, listening to live stage entertainment, participating in a variety of games and contests and enjoying country snacks such as fried half-moon fruit pies, boiled peanuts and sweet tea.

“It gets bigger every year,” said Eva Mayor Gary Livingston, “and we couldn’t be happier. Having this many people in town gives our businesses good exposure and we depend on them as a major source of our revenue.”

“Frontier Days has something for every member of the family, he added. “People can come and look, be entertained and enjoy themselves without spending a penny.”

“It’s one of the best family-oriented events I’ve seen,” said Morgan County Deputy Sheriff Charles Ricks. “It’s like a big family homecoming. We have a lot of families come for the day year after year. Also, the crowds are very orderly and everyone seems to really enjoy themselves.”

The tractor show attracted more than 100 entries, of which more than half participated in the street parade.

“This is one of the area’s largest shows,” said Gary Bell, who helped manage the event as a member of the North Alabama Antique Tractors Association. “You’ll find just about any make or model that was used on the farm 50 years ago, and some of them are still being used.”

The Farmall Cub was featured as “Tractor of the Show.” Richard Greer of Falkville brought four Cubs to the show.

The 11 a.m. parade had more than 100 units and lasted 45 minutes. Morgan County Sheriff Ana Franklin was grand marshal.

Home baked and home preserved food was a big part of the festival. A competition for best home-baked cakes and pies and best homemade jams and jellies was held in the Town Hall Auditorium with more than 75 entries.

The Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association grilled and sold 1,200 rib eye steak sandwiches in support of its college scholarship program. Other food and beverage items available included half-moon fried fruit pies, boiled peanuts and homemade lemonade.