MONTEZUMA — The 2008 Beaver Creek Festival and Duck Race will feature new fun family activities on Saturday, Sept. 27. The Montezuma Downtown Development Authority and the Macon County Chamber of Commerce are coordinating the celebration from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Festivities take place in the Charlie Jackson Unity Park, located at the corner of Cherry and Spaulding streets, across the street from the U.S. Post Office.

The Macon County Literacy Council kicks off the festival with an early bird, fun-run from 7:30-8 a.m. A Children’s Costume, Pet & Bike Parade is from 9:30-10 a.m., following the 9 a.m. opening ceremony. Children ages 3 to 12 and their pets are invited dress up in costumes and decorate their bicycles, tricycles, wagons, scooters, skateboards or skates. Prizes will be awarded for the three most creative costumes and decorations.

Those with hearty appetites will enjoy the Troy Burger Eating Contest from noon-12:30 p.m. Interested participants can register at Troy’s Snack Shack on Cherry Street for $1. Maggie Parks will draw the names of 10 contestants who will chow down on the famous square burgers to win the entire pot.

The Macon County Historical Museum is sponsoring an art and photography contest and exhibit. Advanced amateurs, beginner amateurs or youth are welcome to enter photographs with a Macon County theme, three-dimensional art or decorative art to earn prizes ranging from $10 to $50, with a $100 award for the best-of-show winner.

The Downtown Development Authority will sell limited edition T-Shirts with the local artist Huey Theus’ drawing of the Historic Montezuma Railroad Depot. Festival goers can also take a chance on the Duck Doodle to win $500. A well-fed “quacker” will waddle about a cotton wagon and make a “deposit” on the lucky participant’s chosen number.

Downtown businesses will host sidewalk sales and open house receptions. Merchant’s Walk Passports can be activated by making a purchase at a participating business and then visiting other listed merchants to have the card stamped. Completed Passports can be turned in to the Downtown Development booth for a drawing to win for valuable gift certificates.

The Grand Finale is the Great Beaver Creek Duck Race sponsored by the Macon County Chamber of Commerce. The top prize is $1,014, and the prize for the last duck to cross the finish line is $114. The nine ducks following the leader will also earn valuable merchandise for their owners.

Food vendors feature barbecue quail, ribs and chicken, boiled peanuts, fried peanuts and pecans, fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fried Oreos, funnel cakes, nachos, hot dogs and hamburgers, shaved ice and homemade peach and strawberry ice cream. Others will offer handcrafted wooden dollhouse book cases and hand-painted toy boxes. Holiday shopping opportunities include original photographs and art prints by Mark Tisdale and Phoebe DeVaughn, custom beaded jewelry, one-of-a-kind pocket books and scarves, home furnishings, crafts and decorative gifts.

The Beaver Creek Festival was first celebrated when the flood waters receded from Montezuma in the summer of 1994. Each year the town and visitors from all over gather to celebrate the courage and spirit it took to dry out and restore the historic buildings in the heart of the picturesque downtown area. The family-oriented festival is an entertaining and memorable downtown event.

Vendor booths are still available for $20, or $25 with electricity. For more information, contact Camille Bielby at The Montezuma Downtown Development Authority by phone 478-472-4777 or email dda@montezuma-ga.org.