Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
On Saturday, May 20, the beautiful Avera-Clarke bed and breakfast played host to a community party to help kick off the excitement of this year's Watermelon Festival. Monticello residents of all ages were welcomed into the spacious lawns and encouraged to dance, eat, drink and be merry amongst the lavish and elegant decorations. While the Avera-Clarke home is ordinarily a stunning venue for more formal occasions like bridal events, baby showers and wedding receptions, the new owners embraced a casual, fun atmosphere for their kick-off event. Families were seen on picnic blankets enjoying the beautiful spring sunshine, and many took advantage of the stately gardens as the perfect setting for an enthusiastic dance floor.
Music was provided by DJ Crash Barbee, and the band had toes tapping, couples swaying and individuals rocking to a wide variety of popular beats as patrons enjoyed face painting, bubbles, lawn games and more. Face painting services were provided by Hartworks: Face & Body Art.
Of course, what Watermelon Festival kick off party would be complete without the inclusion of freshly cut and chilled watermelon? In addition to the sweet and refreshing fruit, guests were invited to sample delicious drinks provided by The Juice Box Thomasville, and a hearty BBQ luncheon provided by Ray's BBQ.
During the event, donations were collected via food sales for Big Bend Hospice, which is a local hospice facility that provides a wide range of programs and services to patients and their families throughout the Big Bend area. While this fundraiser is currently over, anyone wishing to make a contribution can do so by visiting the big Bend Hospice website at bigbendhospice.org.
With an incredible amount of exciting events to come, this year will be the first year that the Barberas will be participating in the local Watermelon Festival fun. The family is excited to announce that they are also one of the 25 participating businesses in this year's Watermelon Crawl! Be sure to stop by between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on June 9 to collect your stamp!
The Avera-Clarke house is located at 580 W. Washington St. in Monticello. To speak to someone about booking a stay, or renting the grounds, contact the Barberas at (850) 997-5001 or visit averaclarke.com. For more information about upcoming Watermelon Festival events and activities, visit monticellowatermelonfestival.com
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