Beer, bands and sports: Your guide to Scott City's 43rd annual festival

For 42 years, Scott City’s annual festival was held in the sweltering summer months in Scott City Park. But this year, plans have changed.

Parks director Skylar Cobb said the multi-day event has developed a fall theme this time around and will be offering more activities than ever before — including giveaways and baseball speed-throw competitions — with “any food you can think of” today through Saturday.

“We’ve got about as much as we can fit here in our fairgrounds,” he said, adding the event also will include sand volleyball, cornhole, horseshoe and washers tournaments. Admission and parking are free.

Here’s what you need to know before heading to Scott City’s three-day festival:

Food and beer

To kick things off, Scott City Fire Department and Eisleben Lutheran Church are teaming up for a fish fry at 11 a.m. today at Pavilion No. 1 — delivery also is available. “We’re taking lunch orders, as well. If you’re at the office for lunch, we’ll deliver to you,” he said. Local vendors also in attendance will be The Ice Cream Corner, Kona Ice, Scotty City Kiwanis, Mario’s Pizza and Lil’ Country Store offering fair delicacies including funnel swirls, ribbon fries, nachos, corn dogs, barbecue, deep-fried Oreos, shaved ice, hamburgers, pizza, cheesy breadsticks, fish and tater tots, chili-cheese dogs, chicken strips, brownies, Frito pies and beverages. Beer will be available for purchase from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to

11 p.m. Saturday.

Halloween-themed activities

And for the first time, the Scott City PTO is hosting a haunted hayride fundraiser Friday and Saturday; the park’s walking trail will serve as the route. Proceeds will benefit the Scott City PTO organization. But Saturday is the city’s “big day,” Cobb said of the Halloween carnival at noon and the continuation of the haunted hayrides throughout the afternoon. “They usually have well over 100 kids there,” he said of the free event.

Entertainment

Aside from eight amusement rides and carnival games, bluegrass and gospel band Janie Brown and the Chestnut Mountain Gang will perform at 6 p.m. today; Odd Moses is set to take the stage at 9 p.m. Friday; Grand Opening will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday followed by Evan Webb at 8 p.m.; DJ Walt Wilburn is set to perform from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday. And for the finale, a fireworks show is in the works for 11 p.m. Saturday. “It’s a 40-minute show; it’s unbelievable,” Cobb said. “We always end the festival with a fireworks show.”

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