Specially Gifted Foundation is proud to host its THIRD annual Spring in the Valley Festival in less than 2 weeks! This event has turned into one big community event, and we could not be more excited to celebrate our mission in this special way with you all. We have some of the same favorite activities and vendors that have been featured in the past, and we also have a lot of new additions that we think you will all love!
Before we share all the fun-filled parts of SIV, we want to say THANK YOU to all sponsors, vendors, donors, and volunteers for all the love you have poured into our organization in order to make this event possible. The impact from SIV continues to grow and reach more families and communities each year, and YOU are a huge part of that!
Spring in the Valley Car & Bike Show Returns
Our dear friends at Automax of Rome had such a great time sponsoring our first Spring in the Valley Car & Bike Show last year. Blake Salvy, owner, is now ready for round two, are you?
The categories to be judged include:
Best Rat Rod
Car & Truck Show
1st (best overall), 2nd, 3rd, & people’s choice
Bike Show
1st (best overall), 2nd, 3rd, & people’s choice
Do you think your ride is worthy of one of these categories, or just want to show it off? Register here now or register in-person the day of the event before the show starts.
We are beyond thankful for Automax’s commitment to this event and our mission and cannot wait to see what kind of entertainment this year’s show has in store.
SGF Kids Booth
This one is our favorite! Our SGF Kids Booth is run by Emily, SGF Board Member and SLP-CCC, and Ashley, Occupational Therapist Assistant and blog contributor. We created this booth to provide a space for all kiddos of all abilities to have an opportunity to partake in SIV festivities. Some of the activities included are acrylic painting, a bubble machine, ring toss, a giant parachute, sidewalk chalk, water play table, sand table, and more!
So Much Room For Activities!
Spring in the Valley is a family-friendly event, so we work hard to include an activity for everyone. In addition to the SGF Kids Booth, we have plenty to keep everyone entertained. We have a bounce house, petting zoo, face painting, and we also added a rock climbing wall and trackless train this year so other age groups can enjoy themselves. Don’t worry, Kona Ice will be there waiting to give the kiddos a break in between the fun.
Aside from activities specifically for the kiddos, we have live music for everyone to enjoy. A few of our favorite artists have returned this year, but we also have some new faces and voices to add to the mix. Speaking of local, we will have a variety of local vendors to satisfy all your shopping needs while you listen to the tunes. Another new face this year will be Kevin Casey with HitMix USA, who will be doing a live broadcast. I told you we had a lot of favorites and new soon-to-be favorites in store this year.
Are you famished from imagining all the fun activities and shopping yet? Good! As usual, we have some yummy treats in store for you all! Whether you want a taco, one-of-a-kind sandwich, bratwurst, or even a pretzel, you can find something from one of the food trucks. Oh, and coffee is also on the menu this year!
You are my Sunshine in the Valley
Did you even go to Spring in the Valley if you didn’t get a t-shirt to prove it? Our event t-shirts are extra special because our SGF kiddo’s design them with their families each year. This year’s artist is John Wyatt and his family; they were one of the families gifted from SIV 2022. We loved his design so much we let it be the theme for this year’s event. So, make sure you grab an event t-shirt at the SGF booth before you leave. When we see people out in the community wearing their SIV event t-shirt, our hearts smile!
Spring in the Valley is for the Whole Family
Our team has always encouraged feedback, so after events like Spring in the Valley we LISTEN to our SGF community. We want to ensure we provide a space for everyone to enjoy their experience at SIV, because this is imperative if we want to grow and keep reaching more families taking care of children with disabilities. So, if you haven’t already, purchase your tickets below and join us on May 20, 2023, at Coosa Valley Fairgrounds in Rome, Georgia from 10am – 4pm. Together, we can make an even bigger impact this year!
Andrea Silvers grew up in Rome, Georgia. She currently resides in Calhoun, Georgia with her husband and their son. Growing up with special needs siblings brought Andrea to SGF where she takes pride in her role as the Community Relations Director.