Annual festival celebrates community's farming roots

PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. -- It will be activities by the bushel full as Portageville residents celebrate the 69th Annual Soybean Festival. The festival kicks off Saturday and will continue through Oct. 1.

Joy Partin, treasurer for the Portageville Chamber of Commerce, noted the festival, which started in 1947, celebrates the community's farming roots. This year will be no different with the 2016 theme of "Down on the Farm."

"The Soybean Festival has always been the big thing for our little town," Partin said. Chamber President Ben Brown added the Chamber is working hard this year to draw even more people to the festival.

"We view this year as a fresh start at revitalizing the Soybean Festival," Brown said. "We look forward to growing the event."

Saturday's activities start at 9 a.m. with Main Street Madness. Booths along the town's Main Street will feature arts, crafts, baked goods, jewelry and other items for sale.

At 10 a.m. the first round of pageants begins on the Main Street Stage. Crowned will be Little Miss and Mr. Soybean (ages 6-8), Young Junior Miss Soybean (ages 9-12) Junior Miss Soybean (ages 13-15); and Miss Soybean (ages 16-19).

Contestants compete in pageant wear and can register the day of the pageants. There is a $35 registration fee. Contestants should arrive no later than 9:30 a.m.

More royalty will be crowned beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Portageville Elementary School. The contests include Tiny Mr. and Miss Soybean for youngsters ages 13-23 months, Little Mr. and Miss Soybean for children 2-3 years old and Junior Mr. and Miss Soybean, which is open to those ages 4-5.

Attire is Sunday best only. Contestants can register the day of the contest for $20.

Part of the effort to expand activities includes the addition of the "Soybean Festival Talent Show," which is scheduled from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday on Main Street Stage.

"We have never had anything on Monday nights and we wanted to try to get the whole week included," said Partin about the Talent Show. "We are hoping for a good turnout."

There is no entry fee and the event is open to all ages and all talents, Partin said, from singers and dancers to ventriloquists and jugglers.

There will be prizes for first, second and third places.

The Kiddie Parade, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, has divisions for walking participants, bikes and trikes, wagons, pets, mini floats and maxi floats. Prize money will be awarded for non-float, mini float and maxi float.

A community worship service, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Ministerial Alliance, is planned for 7 p.m. Wednesday. This year's speaker is the Rev. Barron Willer.

Always drawing a big crowd is the Grand Parade, which begins at 7 p.m. Sept. 29.

Brown called the Grand Parade one of his favorite events.

"Our townspeople put a lot of effort into the floats," he said. "It is really exciting to see what their creativity has translated into."

In turn, Brown, continued, the Chamber has worked to increase participants' excitement by more than doubling the prizes for the winning floats for the Grand Parade. Also the Chamber substantially increased prizes for the Kiddie Parade, he said.

There are 13 marching bands slated to take part and for the first time, the grand parade will be led by a grand marshal. State Rep. Don Rone, a Portageville native, was selected for the honor.

"There seems like there is a lot of enthusiasm," Partin said about the parade. "From what I have been hearing there will be quite a few floats, cars with the queens, the bands, a lot of different things."

Entries will be accepted to the grand parade until Sept. 27. For more information contact Carla at 573-379-0843.

The carnival will set up on the lot across from McDonald's just off Interstate 55 from Sept. 29 through Oct. 1. Armband day is from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 1 when carnival goers can purchase an armband for $15 for the various rides.

Partin said organizers are aware the landmark 70th is just a year away but right now they are concentrating on making the 69th Annual Soybean Festival a fun event and a memorable one.

"I grew up watching the parades. Then we would go to the carnival after the parade. Those are my favorite memories," said Partin, who added she will be accompanied by her grandchildren at this year's event and create memories for another generation.

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For more information go the Portageville Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at www.facebook.com/portagevillechamber/.