The Bloomington Pantagraph has details about the first annual Happy Wiener Festival in tourist-friendly Route 66 town of Atlanta, Ill. The festival is May 26-29.
Mayor Bill Martin said the idea is based on the smiley face on the town’s water tower and the large downtown statue of Paul Bunyon holding a hot dog.
"We figured that name was a good way to draw attention to the festival," said Martin.
The festival, Martin said, will be used to promote tourism to Atlanta in conjunction with old Route 66. A Route 66 preservation award will be presented by the Route 66 Heritage Project during the festival.
Bill Thomas of Atlanta will present the award to the Hamlet Arthur Stephens family of Cicero for their efforts to help keep the "Bunyon statue" in Illinois as a Route 66 icon. The ceremony will take place in front of the statue at 10:30 a.m. May 27.
There's a lot more. Read about it here or here.
