While the grand opening event for the traveling “Key Ingredients: America by Food” Smithsonian exhibit, which is visiting the Historic Haralson County Courthouse in Buchanan, has already been celebrated, the extra events to commemorate the arrival of this unique exhibit continue and will continue each week until the exhibit leaves Feb. 14.

Some of the events scheduled last weekend were cancelled due to the area’s unexpected freezing temperatures and ice. However, residents will have another chance to catch several of the events in the next few weeks.

The Buchanan-Haralson Public Library has already hosted special days for both toddlers and seniors this week in which the exhibit was open just for them for a few hours. Amelia’s in Tallapoosa has also hosted at least one “Etiquette and Manners” class the week the exhibit opened to the public.

In fact there will be three more “Etiquette and Manners” classes available to the public in the coming weeks.

“This really is just a refresher course in etiquette,” said Haralson County Historical Society member Karen Higgins. “Some of the classes are for adults, and some are just for children.

The class is taught by local resident Mary Tolleson, who requests you call ahead to reserve your place setting. Adults can brush up on their manners from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 21 and Feb. 4. Children will have their chance to shine from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 23 (for ages 8 to 12) and from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 23 (for ages 13 to 17).

The library will also host another senior day from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 27, when area seniors 55 years old and up will have a chance to learn a thing or two about nutrition when Holly Garner, a nutritionist from Higgins General Hospital, will discuss “Healthy Eating for Seniors.” The library will also host it’s second toddler day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at which time Library Branch Manager Jana Gentry will read Dr. Suess’ “Green Eggs and Ham” to area children. Children will also be given their very own green eggs and ham recipe to try out at home.

“With their parents supervision, of course,” Gentry laughed.

For those with more sophisticated palettes came out to he West Georgia Technical College Campus in Waco on Saturday to taste food original Haralson County settlers from Hungary would have eaten. Hungarian cook Shirly Weller was on hand to present several Hungarian dishes to residents, including cabbage rolls, goulache, toltott kapuska and a Hungarian potato soup.

Any residents interested in the other end of cooking – growing food, that is – are welcome to join local organic farmer Ken Mugg at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at Helton Howland Park in Tallapoosa for his presentation on organic farming.

“Ken Mugg is going to talk about what organic farming is, and anyone interested in starting their own organic farm can ask questions,” Higgins said.

A short, 12-minute film, titled “Farm!” will also be shown, and anyone who attends will be eligible to win one of five door prizes: copies of Barbara Kingsolver’s book, “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” in which the author recounts her family’s self-challenge to eat only locally grown food for one year.

The food theme continues at 10 a.m. Jan. 30, when local author, entertainer, published author and local taxidermist Bud Jones will discuss “Hunting as a source of food and clothing” at the West Georgia Museum of Tallapoosa. Jones will discuss how hunting was a main source of food and clothing in the past. The museum will be open for viewing as well. Admission is $2.

The beginning of February will see a flurry of activity as various exhibit-related events kick off around the county.

On Feb. 6, several events will begin to mark the end of the exhibit’s time at the Buchanan-Haralson Library, starting with the Farmer’s Market at Buchanan City Hall.

The Farmer’s Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. both Feb. 6 and 13 and welcomes any and all residents to stop by and take a gander at Haralson County’s local fare.

“Anyone or any organization can sell anything they like, as long as it’s home made,” Higgins said. “It would be a great opportunity for churches or other organizations to have a fund raiser. Locals are welcome to sell anything from jams and jellies to cakes, other baked goods, and family recipees.”

The market will be inside city hall to protect market-goers from the elements.

The first Saturday in February will also host a barbecue cook off from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Wright Way BBQ in Bremen. The cook off will feature two categories: backyard and restaurant. There will be first, second and third-place prizes for each category as well as a people’s choice award.

“Admission is $5, but that buys you all the samples you can eat and a chance to cast your vote for people’s choice,” Higgins said.

Participating vendors will be allowed to sell sides, drinks and sauces throughout the day, and at 2 p.m. vendors will be allowed to sell their meat and sandwiches once the judging is complete.

To help residents walk off all that barbecue, Bremen’s Sewell Mill will host the opening of their juried art show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 6 through 13. Admission is free.

In addition to these events there are also several ongoing events at the library, including door prizes every Saturday, a game for adults – “Guess the number of beans in the jar” – for a $100 prize, a game for children – “Guess the number of gumballs in the jar” – for a $25 prize, as well as the exhibit itself, which will be open Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

That is, of course, until the closing ceremony. The Historic Courthouse and Buchanan Library will close out the exhibit’s visit with the announcement of any door prize and contest winners and closing remarks from Higgins and Stephanie Jarrell. This event, which begins at 3 p.m., will be residents’ last chance to see the a part of the Smithsonian in their own county before it heads back to Washington, D.C. Anyone interested in more information about the exhibit or related events can call the Haralson County Historical Society at 770-646-3369.