ALAPAHA — Gospel music, arts & crafts, classic cars, country music, a parade are all planned as part of the 25th Annual Alapaha Station Celebration this weekend.

The Miss Alapaha Station was held last weekend, and the rest of the celebration starts Friday and continues through Sunday.

The event celebrates the identity, history and culture of Berrien County’s Alapaha.

Alapaha was once named McMillan, reportedly honoring the last name of two brothers who contributed land for developing the town and the railroad. Residents may have wanted to call the community McMillan, but railroad workers called it the Alapaha Station because of the stop’s proximity to the Alapaha River.

In the passing years, residents dropped McMillan and the word “station” and the town became Alapaha.

At 7 p.m. Friday, the celebration hosts a gospel sing led by headliners The Akins, a family musical group of a father and three brothers, in the Alapaha Gym. Tickets: $7, adults; $4, children. The Akins group has been enjoying a rising success with the album “Good Tired” released last year. The song “Good to Know It’s Not the End” hit No. 1 on the Power Source Christian Country chart earlier this year. A cake auction will be held during the gospel sing’s intermission to benefit the Alapaha Station Celebration fund.

The arts & crafts show begins Saturday morning, downtown. In addition to vendors, the day features Southern Gunslingers from Andersonville with a Western shoot-out, 10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., the parade hits the streets, with grand marshal Miss Georgia 2009 Emily Cook, who will meet the public and sign autographs after the parade. More information about the arts & crafts show, call (229) 686-0803 or (229) 532-6191.

Clogging begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Alapaha Post Office, with Nashville’s Flat Creek Cloggers and Lyons’ State Prison Cloggers.

Bands include the Kristen Underwood Band, Berrien High Band, and, at 4 p.m. Saturday, the VanLears perform as the headline act. (See the VDT View section on valdostadailytimes.com for Jeremy L. Roberts’ story on the VanLears).

At 8 p.m. Saturday, a concert-dance features the East Beach Blues Band, Alapaha Gym. Tickets: $5, adult; $3, children.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, a community worship service is scheduled for the Alapaha Gym, featuring Brother Bobby Rowe. The Celebration Choir provides music.