The sun was hot, but there were cool breezes and the tempting smells of delicious foods floating all around. You could have your choice of delicious smoked barbecue, hot funnel cakes topped with powdered sugar, or salty hot boiled peanuts. Children jumped and played in the giant blow-up trampoline or rode the little cars or petted the soft puppies that were for sale. Everywhere you looked, you could find beautiful old painted stained glass for sale, or homemade decorated purses, or fine woodcrafts of all kinds.

You might have found yourself at the 13th Annual Festival at the Well in Glenwood on May 20.

&#8220This is my third year coming to the festival, and I always like it,” Trevor Davis, a sixth grader at Brantley Elementary, said. &#8220I love the stuff they have like the knife shops and the T-shirts. I like the pageants, too. And I really like the food.”

Rebecca Killingsworth, the five-year-old granddaughter of Mary June and Billy Wayne Killingsworth of Brantley, had a great time riding in the merry-go-round cars in the children's playground area.

John Davis, who works at Crenshaw Drugs in Luverne, said that this was his first time attending the festival. He had a stand set up to sell lollipops, whirly pops, plus 12 different kinds of stick candy.

&#8220Everything is great out here,” Davis said. &#8220There's a big turnout, the people are friendly, and it's a beautiful day. You couldn't ask for more.”

The Festival at the Well is definitely a place and a time for family and friends.

Sisters-in-law Jeanette Pettus of Sandy Ridge and Johnnie Pettus of Glenwood, sat under the pavilion and laughed and talked as they got caught up with the family news and with each other.

&#8220I worked at Crenshaw Community Hospital for 23 years,” Jeanette Pettus said. &#8220So, this is pretty much like home to me.”

Pettus said that she worked in the Pepsi wagon for ten years at an earlier time.

&#8220I was always excited about seeing all the people,” Pettus said. &#8220By the time it got daylight on the day of the festival, I was up and ready to go.”

&#8220This is a place where you can just let your kids run loose, and you don't have to worry,” Jeanette Pettus said. &#8220You can just enjoy yourself.”

&#8220It's heartwarming to be here,” she added. &#8220You may come here a stranger, but you won't be one when you leave,” she said smiling.

Her sister-in-law Johnnie Pettus agreed.

&#8220I've come here every year ever since they started having it,” she said. &#8220My favorite part is watching all the pageants. And, of course, I love seeing all the people.”

It wasn't just the locals who were enjoying the festival on May 20.

Sherri Plunkett of Troy was buying a beautiful fall-colored wreath from one of the arts and crafts vendors.

&#8220This is my first time coming here,” Plunkett said. &#8220This is like a mini ‘Santuck' in Elmore County. I'm enjoying this very much.”

Of course, the day was not just for shopping. Many parents and family members watched with pride and admiration at the parade of beauties in all the different levels of the beauty pageants from toddlers to older children.

Troy Elementary student Faith Spivey, 11, got to show off her dancing talents with the Sha Bang Cloggers from Troy while her family watched.

Proud parents Earl and Andrea Thompson of Glenwood watched as their children Baily, 4, and Bradley, 1, rode the merry-go-round cars, laughing much to their parents' delight.

The Master of Ceremonies was Steve Holmes, who kept everyone laughing and kept things moving along during the entire day.

Mayor Dan Jackson gave the welcome address during the opening ceremony that morning, and Brother Bobby Weeks gave the invocation.

Business supporters included Arrow Disposal Service, Colonial Bank, Double B Construction Company, Horn Beverage Company, Studio 52, WAOQ, Chicken Shack, Danny's Auto Sales, First Citizens Bank, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company, WTBF, and the Glenwood Volunteer Fire Department.