This February, the Anniston Museums and Gardens, Festival Coordinator Mrs. Georgia Calhoun, and the Heritage Festival Committee invite you to celebrate Black History Month at the 45th annual Heritage Festival: Poems of the Past, Whispers of our Ancestors! Encourage our community's youth during the Oration Competition, enjoy a free jazz concert by TAD of Jazz, shop local vendors, and tour the museums. RNB Finz N Chicks and Baby Boy's BBQ will be on site with delicious food options available for purchase.

This special event provides children in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 the opportunity to develop public speaking skills and strengthen their love for reading, writing, and poetry. Review the Student Oration Form for details. All Oration Competition Participants receive: $10.00, Participation Ribbon, One-year Family Membership to the Anniston Museums and Gardens.

Oration Details: Participants check in at 9:00 am. Competition begins at 10:00 am. Orations should be works by Black authors. Orations are recited by memory in front of festival attendees and a panel of judges. Orations are judged for organization, content, language, and audience appeal. Participants may compete as an individual or as a member of a group. Orations are limited to five (5) minutes. No profanity. Props are not required. However, if used participants are responsible for their own props.

Monetary prizes and ribbons are awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category during the Awards Ceremony. The school or co-op group with the most Oration Competition participants wins one free LIVE ANIMAL SHOW from the Anniston Museum of Natural History!

Click Here For Registration