Saturday, September 28, is the day, and the time is 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The place is Archusa Park! As Events Chairman for the Clarke County Chamber of Commerce, I am excited to be a part of this festival. Our folks at the Chamber have worked hard to bring you Clarke Fest this year. We have a great line up of entertainment, and I am looking forward to introducing each and everyone that steps on our festival stage—names you will recognize and realize for a lot of them it’s their first time at Clarke Fest.
There are names such as The EPG Praise Band; they were in the park with us earlier this year and were a true blessing to see and hear. We have the well known BigBee Boys, The Sweeney’s from Meridian, Aiden Williamson will be on our stage along with Brett Gully and the Water Moccasins, and our own Billy Rascoe may just bring his guitar and do some stuff for us.
We have some amazing special guests in Phillip and Shane from the Hayden Alabama Podcast. They have a ridiculously well known podcast they started in Hayden, Alabama, and they have a bunch of fans in our area. Both Phillip and Shane are looking forward to meeting all of you and getting some funny stories to take back home for their podcast. So if you have some clean funny things that have happened in your life, stop by their tent; you might just end up on the podcast. They will be filming Friday afternoon in Quitman and Saturday at Clarke Fest.
We will also have Leilani Allen who is the princess for the Mississippi Band of Choctaws this year. Leilani is looking forward to meeting our folks here in Clarke County.
Another event that I am looking forward to is our Wild Game Cook-Off. We still have room for more contestants if you want to enter. Rules are simple: you can cook wild game that you have gotten yourself, or you can buy what you cook. You are allowed to preprep and precook at home, but it must be finished in the park during cooking time. You will be judged on presentation and taste. We will have first, second and third place. The Chamber will need to know by Thursday of this week if you are planning to enter. You can contact me at 601-480-3908 or Leone, our Chamber Secretary at 601-776-5701 to enter.
Little Feet Street will be back for the kids, along with Busy Bee jumping houses, and touch and see emergency vehicles. Our kids can meet and greet with members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Quitman Police Department, our local ambulance service, and one of our many volunteer firemen and see the fire engine.
Several of our area food trucks will be available: Pig Out, The Little Griddle, Cooks BBQ, Jabo’s, as well as Kona Ice and Sno Biz. There will be plenty of water and soft drinks. You won't go hungry, and you can stay hydrated. During the day, you can buy an arm band and go down and enjoy samples of the wild game as well.
We have several arts and craft vendors available. The Mississippi Loggers Association will be there with their loaded truck along with equipment from Sun South in Meridian.
Don’t forget the Paul Brown Memorial Car Show. Shine that special ride up and bring it on in and enter it. You might just walk away with a great prize!
There is so much more that we have at Clarke Fest this year. Make sure you don’t miss a thing!
Clarke Fest began years ago as a way to spotlight the Clarke County area and to spotlight our forestry and wildlife industry. Clarke County is special to the Chamber. It’s home! We are proud to live and work right here beside some amazing people. We are proud of the events we put together for the enjoyment of our county. Clarke Fest is one of those events. There is something for everyone! Bring your chairs and come out and relax this Saturday. Have just one day this week where you don't have to do anything but come and enjoy yourself and your day.
I want to thank all of our advertisers and sponsors and everyone who has a booth at Clarke Fest. Without you, the Chamber couldn’t do this festival. Thanks to our Chamber members who have so tirelessly worked to put this together for your enjoyment. Clarke County is a great place to live and work. We look forward to seeing you there this Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
