Longtime gospel and contemporary Christian singer Russ Taff will be the headline entertainer for the 10th annual Alabama Butterbean Festival, to be held Friday and Saturday in Pinson.

The festival, best known for the giant pot of butterbeans that set a Guinness world record in 2010, will be held along Main Street and at the Rock School Center, with the main entertainment stage in front of the Mission Possible thrift store on Pinson Blvd. (formerly Center Point Road).

Taff was a longtime member of the gospel quartet The Imperials as its lead singer from 1978 to 1981, and has also sung with the Gaither Vocal Band and in the Gaither Homecoming series. He’s also had a long and distinguished career as a solo singer and a songwriter.

Taff has won three Grammy Awards with The Imperials and two as a solo artist. The Gospel Music Association inducted Taff into its Hall of Fame in 1998; he’s won seven GMA Dove awards with The Imperials and four as a soloist.

This year’s festival looks to be the biggest yet, Festival Director Ronnie Dixon told the Pinson City Council last week.

“We have 33 more vendors than last year, and nine more food outlets,” Dixon said. “We even have some serving alligator tails and jambalaya.”

The festival kicks off Friday night with the carnival, musicians on the main stage, and a fireworks display produced by the same company that puts on the Thunder on the Mountain show July 4 on Red Mountain in Birmingham. That show is scheduled to begin sometime after 9 p.m., with the start time adjusted to come near the end of the Pinson Valley-Huffman football game.

The full slate of entertainment starts Saturday morning with the 5K road race, plus a car show. Taff is scheduled to appear on the main stage at 3 p.m.

As always, admission and parking are free.

For more information, see the festival website at www.albutterbeanfestival.org or their “Alabama Butterbean Festival” Facebook page.