Dozens attend the 30th-annaul sawmill festival in Bruce

BRUCE, Miss. (WCBI) – The 30th annual Sawmill Festival was held in Bruce with live music, vendors, and food.

However, fun and games weren’t the only things that brought hope to the community.

“I’ve always loved coming. I just love seeing all the people,” Lexie Bollinger, Queen of the Sawmill Festival, said.

The Bruce Sawmill Festival brings folks near and far. Lexie Bollinger attends the festival every year. For her, it’s more than food and games.

“This event is a big fundraiser for our town. It’s very helpful for our civic organizations because it helps them raise money to better our community,” Bollinger said.

The Sawmill Festival not only generated economic opportunity, but also increased tourism.

Chairman Ryan Barry said hundreds visited during the weekend.

“We bring vendors from Eupora, from Starkville, from Tupelo, Pontotoc, several counties from across the area. And, it hurt everybody last year, the moral because they look forward to it every year and we try to make it as big as we can,” Berry said.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival was canceled in 2020.

“I think it put a real hurt on them just because they count on this festival happening every year and being able to have that money and have that resource to better our community. And, not having it, I’m sure, put a damper on the productivity that could do from that,” Bollinger said.

When the festival was canceled last year, it didn’t only impact charity funding. In fact, it impacted city morale as well.

“It really put a damper on the town. Just not getting to see everybody. We love seeing people around here,” Bollinger said. “We’re huggers, we love just being able to talk to people and love on people and not being able to do that really downed people’s spirit.”

With the large turnout this year, a light has been put back into the small town.

“I take it as the little train that could, little engine. They can do anything they set their mind too. They all come together and just like this festival, they come together as a group, as a whole, as a family, as a town and do great things for the community,” Berry added.

To wrap up the festival, the town set off fireworks that attendees could see from the square.