Ferron council, volunteers set dates and fundraising plans for Peach Days festival

Ferron City Council and community volunteers discussed planning and fundraising for the city's annual Peach Days festival, confirming event timing, volunteer leads and possible donation options.

The council confirmed Peach Days will occur the second week after Labor Day and discussed event elements including the parade, pageant and a beer garden to be held within city limits. Council member comments identified Casey Hankins as the volunteer who will lead the pageant. Staff and volunteers said they will prepare flyers and coordinate parade participants and logistics.

Volunteers and council members also reviewed budgeting for the event. Council members said last year's expenditures exceeded initial estimates; budget line items include a few thousand dollars for bicycles and event programming. One presenter proposed asking water customers to add a small optional donation (for example $5) to their water bill or to donate at City Hall to increase the number of bicycles available for children during Peach Days. Council and volunteers agreed to create a separate line item to track any donations designated for bicycles and to report those funds separately.

Organizers discussed staffing and support tasks: recruitment of volunteers for the parade, a plan to provide dinner and refreshments for volunteers, and the possibility of producing a printed booklet for the event. The youth council representative was absent and council members agreed to keep Peach Days on the agenda for follow-up and to provide contact assignments for volunteers. Council member Singleton agreed to serve as a contact for festival organizers.

Next steps: volunteers will draft parade flyers and a theme by mid-March for distribution; staff will prepare a budget breakdown and a designated donation line item for bicycles. The council kept Peach Days as an active agenda item for the coming weeks.