The red dragons are out around town as Rockmart prepares to celebrate its heritage next weekend for WELSHFest 2023.

The return of the March 17 and 18 event will have a lot to offer from historic tours of downtown, a hymn singing, Welsh corgis and so much more.

Saturday’s main event also includes the kilt contest, welly wanging, and a Welsh Corgi show among more family-friendly portions of the event including a genealogy room, history tents, bounce houses, balloon animals, face painting, a caricature artist, and photo ops with the WELSHFest dragon.

The fun begins on St. Patrick’s Day with a Hymn Singing at the Historic Van Wert Church starting at 6 p.m. within the church where the Welsh miners who settled around the slate quarry sang their own praises to the heavens above.

Saturday’s event in downtown Rockmart also includes History Tours at Rockmart First United Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

David Llewellyn, the Luther Mountain’s Bluegrass Band and others will be entertaining the crowds as well, and a whole lot of vendors will have items for sale.

Here’s a full list from the WELSHFest website:

• Advent Health Redmond EMC (first aid tent)
• Becoming BeYouthiful (skin care, candles, apparel)
• Country Cabin Sweets & Treats (homemade ice cream, ice cream floats, ice cream sandwiches, assorted ice cream treats)
• The Crafty Goat (wood & slate decor, signs, t-shirts & tumblers)
• Critt’s Creations LLC (candles, wax melts, dough bowls, gift baskets, fudge)
• Deb’s Dreamy Designs (face painting)
• Euharlee Valley Historical Society
• Richard Fierce (author/books)
• Frozen Temptations (freeze dried candy)
• Ginger Smith, Clan MacNaughton & Richard Price Society
• Gugat Pottery (assorted pottery items)
• Judy’s Creations (fleece/crocheted blankets, door hangers, mesh wreaths, pillows, seasoned items, jar & metal can art)
• Knox Mountain Pottery Works
• LH Sweets (chocolate covered strawberries & sweets)
• The Lollipop Guild (handmade candies & chocolates, bundt cakes, cake pops and cookies)
• Lunar Mystic Creations (crystal jewelry, keychains, carvings, sage sticks)
• Mrs. Patty’s Nutty Kitchen / Ken’s Firehouse Favs (frosted nuts, fried pies, roasted nuts, cotton candy, flavored popcorn, funnel cakes, fried oreos, chocolate turtles)
• Danny & Wanda Pelfry (author/books)
• Pipe Organs – Handcrafted Wood & Resin Novelty Pipes
• Polk County Cemetery Preservation Committee
• Polk County Historical Society
• Polk/Haralson CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
• Rockmart Cultural Arts Center (arts & crafts)
• Rockmart Farmers Market
• Rockmart History Museum
• Rockmart Lion’s Club (hamburgers)
• Satcher Farms Soap (handcrafted soaps, butters, scrubs, bath bombs, lip bombs, shave soap, soaking salts)
• Starr Ranch Rescue (therapy dogs and miniature horses)
• Myra Stephenson (original artwork)
• Sweet & Spicy (nuts)
• Taco Hime’s One-of-a-Kind (handmade jewelry, candle holders, keychains)
• Tresaith Creations (hand sewn items, Welsh fabrics)

Additionally, food vendors include Brenda’s Tea Room, Kona Ice and items from vendors who participate in the Rockmart Farmer’s Market weekly.

Check back next week for additional info ahead of WELSHFest 2023.