This is the Ironton festival’s 13th year, and it will continue until 4:30 today with musical entertainment, pony and trolley rides, and many exhibits and concession stands to enjoy.

Saturday, September 11, 1999

This is the Ironton festival’s 13th year, and it will continue until 4:30 today with musical entertainment, pony and trolley rides, and many exhibits and concession stands to enjoy.

By 1 p.m. Saturday, volunteer June Morgan was ready to call the festival a success.

"There have been a lot of people going in and out of here," Mrs. Morgan said. "We’ve had at least 150 people who paid to come in, and then there’s probably about 100 people here with the pageant. They have a really good turnout this year."

This was 7-year-old Zach Little’s second year at the festival.

And he seemed very impressed with the Civil War exhibit.

"I’ve seen battle stuff like guns and swords and stuff they used to drink out of and toothbrushes," Zach said. "I like it because it looks cool."

Zach said he hopes he and his mother, Linda, will be able to come back next year.

"We want to come here and look at the different stuff they have," Zach said. "They have some real interesting stuff here."

The Black History Exhibit interested Rosemary Walters, who slowly walked among the artifacts that lined the walls.

"We always come in here to the black history room and see if we see anything new," Mrs. Walters said. "I like to look at everything at the festival. It’s just a fall thing we like to do."

But Mrs. Walters wishes that more of Ironton’s youth would get involved with the festival.

"The young people don’t come," she said. "But it’s very educational. If they came, they would find out how soap used to be made and how they used to wash clothes."

Not everyone attends the festival for its educational value, however.

"I come mostly just to see people and get involved in the community," said Julie Diamond, who brings her family to the festival every year. "It’s a real wholesome place where you can bring your family and see other people you might not have seen since last year when you came here."