Wing Fest to benefit Cancer Coalition slated for Saturday

ALBANY — Albany area residents are invited to come out for a rocking good time, while supporting a worthy cause this Saturday at the sixth annual Georgia Wing Fest at the Albany Exchange Club Fairgrounds.

Started by Rick Schneider and his wife, Marcy Schneider, as a way to support local non-profit Cancer Coalition of South Georgia, the Wing Fest has become a major event that raises much needed funds for the organization while also drawing awareness to the efforts being made locally to support cancer patients and their families.

Scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. the Georgia Wing Fest will have a wide variety of activities going on throughout the day including mechanical bull rides, bouncy houses, face painting, train rides, archery, a petting zoo and more.

Additionally the event will feature several food vendors, many of which will take part in the annual wings competition where judges will judge wings in four different categories such as best mild wing, best hot wing, most creative wing and the people’s choice wing. That event is scheduled for 1 p.m.

There will also be a wings eating contest sponsored by Loco’s Grill and Pub at 3 p.m. and a kids chicken clucking contest at 4:30 p.m.

As is the case each year, one of the highlights of the Georgia Wing Fest is the live entertainment, which this year will feature a line up of some of the area’s most popular acts.

The Evergreen Family Band will kick things off at 11 a.m., with a set of bluegrass, and will be followed by the blues rock stylings of the Jodi Mann Band at 1 p.m. After a quick break, hip-hop, rock outfit Unbreakable Bloodline, who will just be returning from playing a gig at the prestigious South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, will take the stage at 3 p.m. Party band titans Relapse will close out of the day’s music with a set of classic tunes from 5-7 p.m.

While organizers have a full day of fun things planned for attendees, they are quick to point out that the main focus of the Georgia Wing Fest is supporting the Cancer Coalition of South Georgia.

Cancer Coalition of South Georgia Executive Director Diane Fletcher said that the Wing Fest is a vitally important to the organization which relies heavily on private to donations to achieve its mission of fighting cancer and providing services to cancer patients and their families right here in South Georgia.

“The Cancer Coalition is so grateful to Georgia Wing Fest for supporting our local work against cancer,” said Fletcher. “It’s so important for our organization to be supported by the community, so that we can continue our fight against cancer.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we’re not a national organization, so our funding sources are particularly important. All of the money we raise in the community also stays in the community, which is another thing that makes us unique. So, by supporting the Cancer Coalition of South Georgia people are really supporting their friends and neighbors who have been impacted by cancer.”

While raising money is certainly an important focus of the Georgia Wing Fest, the event also helps to raise awareness about a disease that impacts nearly everyone in the community.

“We’ve all been touched by cancer,” Fletcher said. “So if nothing else, by making sure people know about the disease and know they can do to limit its impact, we’ve achieved something.”

Both Schneider and Fletcher are also proud the event achieves something else, which is providing a fun family event for the entire community.

“We encourage families and folks of all ages to come out to Wing Fest for the excellent food, music, contests and more. It’s rare to find such an inexpensive way to spend a fun filled Saturday,” said Fletcher. “This is a tremendous community event and as they’re having a great time everyone can also know they are helping to fight cancer in our area.”

Schneider, who organized his first Wing Fest event in Tampa, Fla. several years ago, added that he has personally been pleased to be involved with the Wing Fest as it has allowed he and his wife to do something to help others, after being touched by the disease themselves.

“I lost my mother eight years ago to cancer,” said Schneider. “My wife and I just wanted to do something to give back and we thought this would be a good way.”

Schneider said when he moved to Albany he decided the event was needed in Southwest Georgia as well, and immediately set about organizing a Wing Fest here.

“I really just thought it would be popular here,” he said.

Schneider said it takes some effort and money to organize the event, but after taking care of expenses, such as paying the entertainment and renting the venue, he’s still able to give some funds to the organization each year.

He estimates that in the past five years the Georgia Wing Fest has raised just under $10,000 for the Cancer Coalition.

“It’s not a huge amount, but I know every bit helps,” Schneider said. “I’m really happy the event has been successful and that we’re able to continue doing it each year.”

Tickets to the event are $5, with active military (with ID) and children under 42 inches are admitted free of charge.

Organizers encourage guests to be bring blankets and lawn chairs and make themselves comfortable while having fun for a good cause.

To learn more about Georgia Wing Fest visit www.georgiawingfest.com or contact Rick Schneider at [email protected] or call (229) 869-0364.

To learn more about the Cancer Coalition of South Georgia visit www.sgacancer.org, or email [email protected]., or call (229) 312-1700.