Marlene Isom, this year’s Athena-Grease Goddess. She was nominated by the community for her volunteer efforts in Athens. She and her family own and operate Isom’s Orchard.
ATHENS-It takes work and perhaps a dash of eccentricity to be named “One of the 9 Oddest Festivals in Alabama.”
The Athens Grease Festival fits that description to a T – as in T for toga. Al.com bestowed the title on the festival, which has also been on various lists of Alabama and Southeastern festivals “You Just Can’t Miss”
“I would say in Athens we have people with more than just a dash of eccentricity. They have a pretty good dose,” Mayor Ronnie Marks said. “When the idea was first tossed out in 2012 to wear togas on The Square and celebrate fried foods, there were probably some skeptics, but a group of mostly women got together and figured out a way to make it happen and make it successful.”
The Spirit of Athens, a Main Street organization, hosts the festival in historic downtown Athens to celebrate the Greek origin of the city’s name and all things fried while advising event goers to eat responsibly the other 364 days of the year. The fundraiser supports SOA’s financial investment in downtown improvement projects, such as enhanced lighting and electrical support for vendors and concerts.
Athena-Grease Goddess Marlene Isom and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks exemplify the quirky fun aspect of the Athens Grease Festival as they joke around in the Isom’s Orchard grape vines.
The fourth annual festival (the 2015 festival was rescheduled for 2016) will be June 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Marks has signed a proclamation declaring June 5-11 as Greek Week in Athens to encourage support of the “quirky fun family event.” He signed the proclamation at Isom’s Orchard among grape vines with Athena-Grease Goddess and her court decked out in their togas. This year’s Athena is Marlene Isom and her court is other women who were nominated for the award for their volunteer efforts in enhancing the quality of life in Athens.
PROCLAMATION:
Whereas, the Spirit of Athens created the Athens Grease Festival in 2012 to celebrate the Greek origin of the city’s name and all things fried, and;
Whereas, the Athens Grease Festival has been an annual success, bringing an average of 5,000 event goers to downtown Athens, and;
Whereas, proceeds from the festival are used to promote projects that benefit our historic downtown – the heart of Limestone County, and;
Whereas, the Spirit of Athens has made the Athens Grease Festival a quirky fun family event with activities like the Turkey Toss, Dub’s Burger Eating Contest, Toga Contest, musical entertainment, children’s activity area, and art projects, and;
Whereas, the Spirit of Athens is celebrating the way our Southern mothers and grandmothers made an art out of cooking while encouraging everyone to “splurge occasionally” and “eat responsibly the other 364 days of the year,” and;
Whereas, the Athens Grease Festival has generated interest in Athens and its downtown among the community, surrounding areas, and through media outlets, even being named one of the 9 Oddest Festivals in Alabama, and named on several festival blogs as One of the Festival You Can’t Miss, and;
Whereas, Main Street Alabama recognized the event for an Excellence in Promotion Award
Mayor Ronnie Marks declares June 5-11 as Greek Week in Athens to support the Athens Grease Festival on June 11 by joining Marlene Isom, who is this year’s Athena-Grease Goddess, and her court.
and has had organizers speak about the festival at training sessions in Alabama and other states;
Now therefore I, William R. “Ronnie” Marks, Mayor of Athens, do hereby declare June 5, 2016, through June 11, 2016, as Greek Week in Athens.
I encourage citizens to support the Athens Grease Festival during Greek Week by sharing festival information on their social networks, holding toga wearing days at their offices, doing Southern recipe swaps, being creative to celebrate in other ways, and most importantly by planning to attend the event on June 11, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in downtown Athens.
Isom has held Dinner in the Orchard events that have benefited the local hospital, local library and High Cotton Arts, a non-profit art incubator. She also oversaw the Threads of Honor quilting project that raised about $40,000 for the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives building expansion project.
Spirit of Athens Director Dana Hickman suggested that this year the Athena-Grease Goddess honor should also include the nominees who would then become Athena’s court. Hickman said that would give recognition to all the women nominated by the community. The court is comprised of Karen Middleton, Deborah Gill, Martha Jo Leonard, Olivia Carter, Trisha Black and Diane Lehr. These ladies volunteer with activities ranging from church to art to youth programs to fundraising.
Athena and her court will be honored during opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m. with a parade featuring the Cool Bone Brass Band. Marks said Athens is indebted to these women who have seen a need and have given of their time and talents to address it.
“It is remarkable when you look at the contributions Marlene and these other women have made because they love this community and they have the gumption to take action,” Marks said.
During Greek Week, businesses, churches and other groups can get involved by hosting their own mini-toga parties and sharing their photos on social media and include #TogaTweets or they can email them to hhollman@athensal.us. Limestone Health Facility plans to host a toga contest and toga party on June 9 for its residents. The facility’s Activity Director Mary Nelle Clem said the party will include fried pickles, fried cheese and fried Oreos.
The Athens Grease Festival will give Southern food lovers the opportunity to taste fried dishes ranging from fried deviled eggs to fried shrimp puppies to fried alligator. Food isn’t the only attraction, however. There will be musical entertainment including Lillian Glanton and The Elk River Boys, Kush and Microwave Dave and the Nukes. Athens Arts League will have artists painting in togas outside of High Cotton Arts just east of the festival grounds on Washington Street. Athens Arts League also is sponsoring a tent for the Kids Zone which will have various activities.
There will be contests such as a Frozen Turkey Toss, Dub’s Burger Eating Contest and Toga Contest. The mechanical bull will also be back for children and adults who want to attempt to ride eight seconds while wearing a toga.
SOA organizers are debuting new decorations this year. Athens High School arts teacher Tavia Slaton and her students have created an Athena and Trojan horse and repurposed a homecoming float’s golden eagle. The students also painted and touched up Greek columns used in previous festivals.
Cost for the festival is $5 for adults, $4 for children ages 3-12 and 2 and younger free. Wear a toga and get $1 off admission. For more information and updates, go to www.athensgreasefestival.com.
Toga Notes
Did you know…
- Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful recycles the cooking grease used by vendors.
- Athens Saturday Market will move to The Square for the festival and operate on Jefferson Street from 8 a.m. to noon.
- You can try to win free tickets by going on Facebook to “Athens Grease Festival” and by listening to Kix 96.
• Don’t have a sheet or table cloth to make a toga? Buy a Toga Pack online through Eventbrite through June 9 and pick up your festival shirt, toga and ticket at the Spirit of Athens office during Greek Week
