Portageville to celebrate its 72nd Soybean Festival

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. - The Portageville Chamber of Commerce the 72nd Soybean Festival has been scheduled for Oct. 7-12. The theme for this year is “Through the Eyes of a Child - Favorite Storybooks of all Time” 

“For us, the Soybean Festival is a very big deal,” said Clint Klipfel, president of the Portageville Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the annual event. “It is a fun festival and an opportunity for us to come together as a community to show what Portageville has to offer. We enjoy having fun and fellowship with everyone in the community and the surrounding area.”

This year, Main Street Madness will close the Festival, beginning at 9 a.m. The event will feature crafts and food and include a performance from Double Take at 10 a.m., a She-Man Beauty Contest at noon and a cornhole tournament.

The week long Festival begins with the National Soybean Beauty Pageant on Oct.6.

Girls throughout the Missouri Bootheel will have an opportunity to pre-register for the 72nd Annual National Festival Beauty Queen Pageant. The last day to register is Friday, Oct. 4. The pre-registration fee will be $30 for ages 6-19 and $35 on the day of the pageant. The pageant will be held on the Main Street stage. The pageant is sponsored by the Portageville Chamber of Commerce.

The Kiddie Parade will be on Oct. 8 will include pets, walking entries, vehicles and floats of 10 feet or less. Age categories are 0-3, 4-7 and 8-12.

“We welcome bikes, trikes, wagons and walkers,” said Klipfel. “Basically, anything that people want to be.” 

The Portageville Ministerial Alliance will lead a community church service at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 on the Main Street stage.

The grand parade with its array of bands, small and large floats, farm implements, vehicles, politicians and, of course, a load of soybeans, is among the biggest draw of the week.

Tonya Vannasdall has worked for several weeks to get the word out about the Oct. 10 parade. 

“It is a huge gathering in Portageville and it is exciting to see all the community come out and support it,” she said. “It is coming back bigger and bigger every year.”

She said over the last several years, the Chamber has worked to emphasize the community’s agricultural roots.

“We have encouraged farmers to bring soybeans to the parade and encouraged the people who work with grain to be part of our activities.” Vannasdall said. “It only makes sense that they are part of what we are doing.”

Floats from the Kiddie Parade can also be part of the Grand Parade, organizers said.

Because of the many participants, Vannasdall urged those planning to take part in the parade to register in advance by contacting her at 573-748-0859 or by email at infor@portagevillechamber.com as soon as possible.

“It is a long-standing tradition not only for Portageville but the Bootheel,” said Klipfel. “Everybody has come to know and look forward to it every year. It continues to be a success and a good time for everyone.”