By Tatum Northington
Elmore/Autauga News
Photos Contributed by Main Street Wetumpka
The shops in Downtown Wetumpka were themed for the 2nd Annual Tim Burton Birthday Celebration in recognition of Burton’s most famous Alabama film, Big Fish. Events took place on August 25 and August 26, and if you were walking down Company Street you would have been delighted to see visions of Batman and Robin, Sweeny Todd, Alice, Edward Scissorhands, and more.
The event kicked off on Thursday, celebrating Burton’s 64th Birthday and the party continued through Friday evening. Local shops had sales and specials playing on the themes of Tim Burton films. The Coosa Cleaver had themed drink specials while The Grumpy Dog sported a “Edward Scissorhands” chopped salad. For Healthy Pets had a themed-bingo game where the pets were the winners and Sweet Home Books celebrated “Alice in Wonderland” with a treasure hunt for coupons throughout their store. Company St. Mercantile sported their best “Beetlejuice” inspired discounts and the festivities led way to Provisions Cheese and Wine Shoppe where you could celebrate a “whopper of a fish;” Albert Finney’s famous line from “Big Fish.” The 2nd Annual Tim Burton Ball culminated the festivities on Friday night at the Vault Variety Shop and attendees were encouraged to wear their best character costumes.
This brain-child event came from Provisions owner, Lucky Lawrence. “Wetumpka is well known for the Big Fish movie filmed by Tim Burton in 2003, and there were 6,000 extras in that film, so many here are connected to it. But Tim Burton has created over 40 movies and we want to celebrate what he did for Wetumpka as well as allow folks to celebrate their favorite characters,” says Lawrence. This event will continue, Lucky tells us, “As long as I am around.”
If you missed out on this year’s festivities, don’t fret. You always have next August; just remember, Tim Burton’s Birthday – August 25.
