Hot fun in Bell Buckle

WTVF-Channel 5's 'Talk of the Town' hosts Lelan Statum, left, and Meryll Rose toss Moon Pies to the crowd of thousands that braved the sweltering heat to attend Bell Buckle's annual RC-Moon Pie Festival Saturday. Statum and Rose were crowned king and queen of the popular festival. (T-G Photo by Brian Mosely) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

In fact, Mayor Dennis Webb said it might be the largest crowd ever for the event -- more than the 15,000 to 20,000 that showed last year and over 1,000 runners participating in this year's 10-mile run.

The day started at 7 a.m. with the run, and as the day grew hotter, many sought the shade of the vendor areas, where many could be seen buying multiple bottles of water.

Organizer Jenny Hunt said the festival was going "unbelievably well," despite the searing heat.

"I started getting scared, it has been going so well," Hunt said.

At noon, the crowd of thousands was surging to see one of the main events, the Synchronized Wading performance, and Hunt said most of the crowd stays until the world's largest Moon Pie is cut.

"I'm absolutely amazed at the amount of people that are here in this heat," Hunt said. "In this economy, this is one of the few events where everything is free," with the exception of the vendors and to run in the race, she said.

The late James White Elkins, volunteer fire chief in Bell Buckle for 43 years, was honored with an equal number of balloons released to the heavens with a portrait of Elkins attached.

WTVF-Channel 5's "Talk of the Town" hosts Lelan Statum and Meryll Rose were crowned the king and queen of the festival following the parade that kicked off a little after 11 a.m., tossing out many of the snacks the festival is named after.

Hunt said she imagined that at the end of the day everyone would go home and sink into a bathtub of ice.