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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Excitement is building for the 75th Peach Festival, and the date for the Roy Wood Peach Festival Art Show has been announced.

Artists in the community can bring two paintings or drawings for the show to River Bank and Trust on June 22 from noon to 2 p.m. Winners will be presented their awards on June 23 at 9 a.m.

The contest is open to artists of all ages. Younger artists will compete in the junior division, while adults will compete in the senior division. Cash prizes will be given for first place ($100), second place ($75), third place ($50) and honorable mention ($25).

Pieces must be matted and framed with a wire attached to the back, making the artwork suitable for hanging.

While not as old as the festival itself, the art show has highlighted local artists in a weeklong gallery at the downtown Clanton location of what is now River Bank and Trust for the past 38 years.

“It just promotes art in our county,” Debbie Jones, River Bank vice president and relationship manager, said. “Our customers really enjoy it.”

The subject of the artwork can be whatever the artists wants. Entries must be the original work of the artist submitting the artwork.

Artwork is judged by an impartial person from outside of Chilton County.

“We just encourage people to come out and view what our talented artists in our community are doing,” Jones said.

Jones said the art show’s namesake the late Roy Wood worked for the bank location for at least 40 years. Wood was also an artist and worked with other artists in the community to establish the art show. One of Wood’s paintings is still on display at the bank.

River Bank &Trust’s downtown location is 620 Second Ave. N in Clanton.