Approximately half of the peanuts grown in the United States are grown within a 100-mile radius of Dothan. Alabama farmers harvested 189,000 acres of peanuts, producing 400 million pounds valued at nearly $120 million last year.
The national peanut festival is happening all this week in Dothan. This year’s festival features entertainment for kids, teenagers and adults. The festival features games, petting zoos and more. Live musicians, such as Country band Parmalee, will be performing at the venue’s amphitheater.
The long running festival’s leadership is making sure to keep the event COVID-19 cautious. Joe Snell is the president of the national peanut festival association. He said it’s important for people interested in attending to be vaccinated if possible.
“We’re going to not take Covid-19 lightly,” Snell said. “We suggest everyone get their shots and their booster shots and do their part. Not just for themselves but their neighbors and their friends too.”
Snell also said the festival will have stations with medical personal giving vaccines during the festival.
He predicts a record-breaking crowd this year due to people being vaccinated against Covid-19. To prepare for the influx of guests, he says the event planners have hired more security and added an additional parking lot.
Snell also said this year’s festival will place a special focus on the peanut industry.
“We’ve got some special things happening this year to celebrate the farmers not just the festival itself,” Snell said. “We’re going to recognize some people that have done an excellent job in our surrounding areas as far as growing peanuts and providing incomes for a lot of people in this area.”