ATHALIA - Athalia residents are gearing up for a musical celebration to christen a community project.

Athalia will be celebrating &#8221Bluegrass on the River“ from noon until 5 p.m., on Saturday Oct. 22. Musical groups will be singing by the shelter at Athalia Park.

Mayor Ron McClintock said they have three groups lined up: Bobby Maynard and Breakdown, Appalachian Heritage and the Joe Freeman Band.

&#8221All three bands graciously agreed to do it,“ McClintock said.

In between the three groups performing, he said they will be having open mic, so anyone that brings an instrument can perform.

Village officials will also be acknowledging businesses that have donated to the playground/park project. These include the South Eastern Kiwanis Club, Hall Funeral Home, Jim's Gun Shop and Proctorville Tire.

The event is free to those 12 and under, others will pay $5, and McClintock said they will also welcome any additional donations. All the money raised at the event will go to the playground and park project.

&#8221It was actually one of the things designed in the grant to draw people there to see it,“ McClintock said about the picnic.

McClintock said about three years ago the village had bought playground and shelter equipment with a grant from the Department of Natural Resources. This spring, he said, they attended a workshop and received a $3,800 grant from the Appalachian Regional Development Commission to help purchase equipment for the playground area.

&#8221The idea behind the grant is not so much what you do with the money, but what you do with it to attract people to the area,“ McClintock said.

The ARC utilized a think tank called The Rensselaerville Institute to handle the grant, McClintock said. The institute, a non-profit and independent group, helps clients achieve results and move from an activity to an outcome.

&#8221Their purpose is to keep you excited, keep the energy going,“ McClintock said.

The village keeps in contact with the institute on a weekly basis, discussing the progress of the project. At the end of the grant, McClintock said, they look at the time spent and how much money they generated with it. The village has to meet with the ARDC and take pictures to show the connections that were made and see what the grant generated financially.

The idea is if they dress up the area, perhaps the village will attract people that may want to live or start a business in Athalia, McClintock said.