GRAND SALINE, Texas (KETK) – This week KETK’s Neal Barton headed off to Grand Saline as they prepare to kick off their salt festival.

The Grand Saline Salt Festival Heritage Association’s annual Salt Festival will kick off Thursday, Sept. 28 with Gospel Night and singers from Jarvis College that will take place in the pavilion.

The weekend long festival will also include live music, street dance, pet show and car show. The car show is expected to have about 80-100 cars.

“There will be a quilt show at the First Methodist Church, which is a fundraiser for a local children’s academy. It is $5 to enter,” said Tammy Chitty, a festival organizer.

Grand Saline is also known as the salt capital of Texas.

Underneath every Morton salt canister there is a set of letters followed by numbers. If the canister has “GS” before the set of numbers, that means that the canister came from Grand Saline.

Wendy Milam’s mother-in-law and other members began the festival 49 years ago and kicked it off with a shared meal.

Milam helped cooked this year’s meal, chicken and dressing.

The mine that is currently used by Morton began in 1938 at 550 feet and now it is at 850 feet.

“All disposable salt and pepper shakers in the North American area are made in Grand Saline,” said Rex White, a Grand Saline historian.