ALABASTER- As a promise of their three-year sponsorship of Alabaster CityFest, the Alabaster Central State Bank location presented a check to the Alabaster Arts Council on Tuesday, April 4.

According to Alabaster Arts Council Treasurer Vic Smith, the Alabaster Central State Bank will sponsor Alabaster CityFest events from 2017 to 2019.

“Central State is more local,” Smith said. “With it being a local festival, we thought a local business as a sponsor would be better.”

Alabaster Central State Bank President Shane Schroeder said this is the first local event that the Alabaster Central State Bank location has sponsored.

“We haven’t got any specific ties at this point, but we get involved with schools and local events,” Shane Schroeder said.

While Central State Bank has only been in Alabaster since December 2015, CEO Mitt Schroeder said Alabaster CityFest offers a suitable opportunity for community involvement.

“Part of our mission is that we want our community to be enriched by our presence, and that aligns perfectly with Alabaster CityFest,” Mitt Schroeder said.

Mitt Schroeder said Central State Bank’s sponsorship involves more than just presenting a check.

“We’ll have a ton of volunteers out there,” Mitt Schroeder said. “We’re helping in any way we can.”

Alabaster Arts Council Sponsorship Chair Camille Herron said the bank’s sponsorship could extend beyond Alabaster CityFest.

“We budget our events so we have leftover funds to use for other things,” Herron said. “If we have leftover funds or raise any proceeds they go back to the community.”

Herron said the bank’s three-year long sponsorship will allow the Arts Council to have more time to plan for CityFests in future years.

“We can start planning on June 4 for something even bigger and better,” Herron said.

“The biggest issue we usually have is what the financial contributions of our sponsors are for next year,” Arts Council Artist and Media Relations Director Jamie Cole added. “To have a 3-year commitment is huge.”

Headliners for the 2017 Alabaster CityFest will be announced on the morning of Wednesday, April 5. CityFest is in its 15^th year, and is slated this year for Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. The event is free to the public.

For more information about Alabaster CityFest, visit its Facebook page or Alabastercityfest.com.