The Battle of Selma Committee met for the first time Thursday to vote on scheduling for events and other details that would surround the 2013 Battle of Selma, which will be held April 25 through 28.

Dr. Jack Burns, chairman of the committee, said he promised the battle to grow bigger and better this year when he first took over the position in June. Burns seems to have lived up to his promise as the committee announced this would be the, “grandest show in the past decade,” Burns said.

He said this year would boast a record number of horses for the reenactment with 52 horses registered thus far. There will be at least 191 reenactors for the Federal army and 375 for the Confederate Army.

“Last year we had about 800 students come to participate in school days and this year we are expecting around 1,200,” Burns said, “And that is with six weeks left [until the event.]”

The committee is hoping that the number of participants, reenactors, sutlers and schools will be larger this year and continue to grow, Burns said.

Reenactors will travel from the state, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky when previous battles mostly recruited from northern Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.

Visitors and long-time participants of the Battle of Selma will have the opportunity to see the return of such merchants as those who make sarsaparilla, kettle corn, root beer, fry bread and lemonade after the committee announced that these popular vendors would return.

The committee also voted to have the memorial service in Confederate Circle in Old Live Oak Cemetery despite the areas that are under construction and taped off.

“We will have it their just like we have for the past two decades,” James Hammond, previous chairman, told the committee Thursday.

The committee approved to continue other events like the Writer’s Forum and the Battle of Selma Ball will also be a part of this year’s festivities.