Earlier dates set for 2005 Depot Days

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce has changed the dates for Depot Days for the second time in as many years following a survey and meeting with downtown merchants, according to Chamber President Susan Hines.
The Depot Day celebration, which climaxes the annual weeklong event, will be staged on Saturday, Sept.17, she said. Last year, the event occurred on Oct. 9 and the year before on Sept. 20.
The week of Depot Days will begin on Sunday, Sept. 11, with a community-wide worship service. Other activities will follow on weekday evenings. They will include a Down Memory Lane program based on the city's history and an outdoor entertainment program at E.A.R.T.H. Park.
The chamber's board of directors opted for the earlier date after looking at other municipal-sponsored events being held in the area later in the month and giving consideration to the wishes of local merchants.
"We surveyed merchants to get their input and then met with them," Hines stated. "They like the new date."
"Now we're a week ahead of Frontier Days in Eva, a major fishing tournament in Decatur, Spring Jam in Huntsville, and the Apple Festival in Moulton, among others," Hines pointed out. "This will help us attract more and better vendors and give us a better shot at pulling in visitors from outside our area."
A committee is already at work making plans for the annual event.