Jim Bowie, the man synonymous with the large knife that bears his name, may be among the best things the Town of Vidalia has to offer guests.

Bowie was famous for many things, including being among those who died at The Alamo in Texas, but locally it was his famous fight on the sandbar near Vidalia in 1827 that earned him a mark in American history and folklore.

What started off as merely Bowie being a witness to a duel between two other men ended as a melee. In the ruckus that ensued Bowie was shot and stabbed before he ultimately killed his attacker and earned himself a reputation as a tough fighter who never gave up.

The Town of Vidalia and its residents share a similar outlook on the work and tenacity for not giving up.

After a one-year hiatus, the Jim Bowie Festival will return later this month.

While the plans for the renewed festival are scaled back a bit compared to previous years that included a large barbecue championship event among other features, the plans for the event are exciting.

Vidalia needs to capitalize more on tourism and the Bowie Festival is a great way to do that.

While this year’s festival aims to be a little more scaled back than some in the past, we know it will provide a great fun, family entertainment option.

We applaud the volunteers who are making the event happen.