Pell City Homecoming is scheduled for June 4-6, and plans are underway for the annual block party, catfish rodeo, and Summer Fest that will anchor the weekend.

Organizers of each event met last week to discuss the progress of coordinating each event, planned as part of the state’s yearlong Great Alabama Homecoming.  More than 200 towns throughout the state will host special events between now and December to promote local tourism.

“I plan on going to 20 or 30 of them myself,” said Mayor Bill Hereford.  

“Out of all of them, we are sure Pell City is going to have the best event,” said Pam Anderson, chairman of the Block Party committee.  

The 10th annual Block Party will begin downtown at 5:30 p.m. Friday and continue until 11 p.m., kicking off the weekend’s events.  Free shuttles will be provided, infant-changing stations will be provided, and Hereford said that the restrooms in the city hall lobby will be open.

Four entertainment stages will be set up, as well as a multi-performance area, said Pam Anderson, chairman of the Block Party committee.   Stages and performers include Country Music Stage, Leverton Brothers and Steve Shafer; Motown Stage, Stephanie Pickett and Style Band; Inspirational Stage, Joey Kay, Jameson Willis, Mothers to Daughters, and the Harvest Center Praise Team; TCB/Impersonators Stage, Elvis, Tom Jones, Conway Twitty, Michael McDonald, Kenny Rogers, Rascal Flatts, and Kenny Chesney; and Multi Performance Area, Starzz Performing Arts and the Harvest Center Drama Team.

“I’m thrilled about this,” Hereford told committee members.  “I knew the Block Party has always had great potential, and everything is coming together for a great time again this year.”

Friday, April 23, is the deadline for vendors to reserve booth space for the event.  For more information, call the Pell City Chamber of Commerce at 338-3377. 

 As many as 250 children are expected to turn out for the eighth annual catfish rodeo, slated for 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 5, at Lakeside Park.  The free event is open to children ages two to 12. 

Supervised by state conservation officials, 1,500 pounds of live catfish will be released in a netted area at the park and will remain there through the weekend, said Nancy Crow, coordinator for the Pell City Civic Center.

“After (10:30), anybody can fish there, and the nets won’t be removed until the following Monday,” she said. 

The 2010 Summer Fest, sponsored by the St. Clair County Home Builders Association will begin at the park immediately following the catfish rodeo.  It is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m.

Live entertainment will be provided in the pavilion at the part, door prizes will be awarded, and games, cakewalks, water activities, and other events are planned, said Lacosta Richards, the building association’s executive officer.

Vendor information is available by calling 47-4339 or emailing lacostarichards@yahoo.com.  The deadline for registration is May 25.

All of the weekend’s confirmed events are free, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. 

No events are scheduled for Sunday, although organizers said it is hoped that local churches may plan their own activities related to the homecoming weekend.  “It would be a great time to have a homecoming service or an old-fashioned dinner-on-the-ground,” said Tommy Bowers, a member of the Block Party committee.