UNION COUNTY FESTIVAL TO OFFER SPECIAL EVENTS IN MANY TOWNS

A chance to watch horseshoe champions in action, hear coon and goose calling and tour a goat farm are among the offerings this year at the Union County Colorfest.

The annual festival will be held Saturday and Sunday throughout the county. Events are scheduled in Alto Pass, Anna, Cobden, Dongola, Lick Creek, Jonesboro and Wolf Lake.

A parade at 10 a.m. Saturday in Anna will kick off the festivities. Two-hour tours will leave Anna at 11 a.m., 1 p.m, and 3 p.m. both days.

One of the highlights of the annual event is Pumpkin Town USA on the park-like grounds of the Clyde L. Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna. The creative pumpkin displays will be complemented by food, crafts, a petting zoo and horse-drawn surrey rides.

The first-ever farm tour will go to Walton Farms on Lick Creek Road to watch sheep shearing, the Holiday Farms Christmas tree farm on Kratzinger Hollow Road alongside the Shawnee National Forest, and the Shawnee Hills Caprine Dairy near Cobden, Southern Illinois' only Grade A goat dairy.

The farm tour is free.

An historic home tour also will be offered from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and from noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets will be sold at Colorfest booths.

The homes are the Greg and Christy Lonergan home at 613 South Main Street in Anna, the Darrell and Bonny Porter home at 103 Ash Street in Dongola, and the Mike and Cathy Coad home at 535 N. Main St. in Jonesboro.

Town and county shorshoe championships will be decided. Winning singles and doubles teams from each town will compete for the county championships.

The county event is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Black Diamond Ranch northwest of Anna-Jonesboro on Illinois Route 127..

A number of events will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Trail of Tears Lodge & Sports Resort southwest of Anna-Jonesboro. They include 3-D archery shoots, a blackpowder muzzleloading woods walk, and a sporting clays tournament. The Illinois State Championship Wild Game Cookoff will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday.

More events are scheduled at Trail of Tears State Forest. They include a coon hunt Saturday, and on Sunday the Illinois State Championship Duck, Goose and 3-Man Goose Calling Contests, and wild turkey, owl, crow and coon calling contests.

Biking, canoeing and hiking events also are planned in the Cache River Wetlands.

For information about Colorfest, phone 1-(800)-248-4373.

Schedule

Alto Pass -- Alto Pass Vineyard Festival, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday; noon-5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Anna -- Guided bus tours 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; "Colors on Parade," 10 a.m. Saturday; Merchants' Marathon, 10 a.m. Saturday; Hootenanny, 7 p.m. Saturday; Surrey rides, Fabulous '50s Elvis Presley Contest.

Cobden -- Craft fair, art displays, black powder encampment, Owl Creek vineyards open house, food, demonstrations, children's activities.

Dongola -- Pet contest, 11 a.m. Saturday; antique tractor pull, 1 p.m. Saturday; chili supper, 4:30 p.m. Saturday; '50s sock hop, 6:30 p.m. Saturday; gospel music on Sunday.

Lick Creek -- Great Pumpkin Push Contest, Cajun cooking, local bands, antique cars and Harley Davidsons.

Jonesboro -- Arts and crafts booths, car show, children's activities, live music and dancing Friday and Saturday night on the square.

Wolf Lake -- Old fashioned barbecue, children's activities, bingo, gospel sing.

Pumpkin Town, USA -- 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.