The dancers of Clog Wild Cloggers, a perennial Sweet Tater talent, took the stage at the 2021 festival to tap into the traditional, homespun atmosphere that for 25 years has made the festival a unique Cullman County experience.

Bigger, tastier, and orange-er than ever before, the mighty sweet potato is prepping for its spotlight moment, as the 26th annual Sweet Tater Festival takes over the hearts, minds, and taste buds of spud lovers who plan to put down roots at Smith Lake Park this Labor Day weekend.

The yearly celebration marks a fun way to underscore the importance of local agriculture by paying tribute to one of Cullman County’s biggest crops. The rust-hued tuber is riding high after being named the official Alabama State Vegetable back in 2021, thanks to the efforts of some studious north Alabama homeschoolers.

Guests at the two-day event can ditch the homework, though: Since first starting out as a small-scale party at the site of Crane Hill’s old Dowling school, the celebration has since been taken over by Cullman County’s parks department, and now packs in tons of food, music, ‘tater-themed games, and row upon row of arts and crafts vendors at the lake’s sprawling park grounds.

This year’s festival kicks off on Sunday, Sept. 4 and continues the fun on Monday, Sept. 5 (Labor Day). It’s two full days of activity at the park, with Sunday’s hours running from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Monday’s conclusion revving up the action from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Sweet Tater Festival Car Show fuels Monday’s biggest attraction, with classic and rare vehicles on display from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The price of admission is low for the family-friendly fest, with a one-time, $5 per-person armband purchase assuring each guest access to the event through both days. Live music and old-fashioned clog dancing are on tap at the festival’s main stage, while chow-down contests, kids’ games, and the annual golf cart parade rounding out the fun elsewhere.

For more information, including a full listing of the festival’s scheduled entertainment, visit the event’s Facebook page @SweetTaterFestival and check out the county parks department @SmithLakePark, also on Facebook.