Sawmill Festival Brings In Record Number of Vendors

BRUCE, Miss. (WCBI)-

The inclement weather did come. But then the skies cleared and attendees at the Bruce Saw Mill Festival were able to enjoy the many activities..
For the children, there was a petty zoo. And others got some great exercise in the inflateables.
There was of course, music and the food vendors. Organizers says this was the biggest and most successful Saw Mill Festival yet.
“We had a great festival this year. We had a record number of vendors. We had over a hundred vendors we’d never had before in the 26 year history of our festival. So we feel like it’s going to be a big benefit to our community because we have a unique festival in that we have six civic clubs that really put it on for us and all those civic clubs do different things and all the money comes back into one cock and then we divide up amongst those clubs after the festival and they reinvest it in the community through various charitable works.”
Many communities in northeast Mississippi have festivals named after significant events in the town’s history. In Tupelo, it’s the Elvis Festival. In Amory, the Railroad Festival. In Vardaman, it’s all about Sweet Potatoes. And in Algoma, Cross Ties. But here in Bruce the saw mill was and still is the most significant and integral part of the town’s economy.
“It’s who we are. We’re a saw mill town. That’s what founded the town, the E.L Bruce Company came here and bascially built the town for us so the saw mill, that’s our history. That’s who we are.
And in Bruce they are thankful for their biggest employer and it’s contribution to the community.
“Weyerhauser has just recently completedly over a 100-million dollar expansion and is still growing. They are a vital part of our community, not just through the jobs and the economic impact but their foundation is very charitable to all of our organizations here in Bruce and the entire county in this region so Weyerhauser is a great commumity partner and we’re just proud to have them here.”
McNeese says here in Bruce is where money grows in trees.