The 26th annual Fall Fest on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Bishop Park, 6401 Boone Road, will be a day packed with events, activities and contests for the entire family, most of it on the Everett Buick GMC stage at the first ball field complex. Free admission. Free parking.
Beginning at 7 a.m., visitors can enjoy the pancake breakfast put on by the Senior Adult Center at their location inside the center. There will be homemade maple syrup from a family recipe of a Senior Center member.
At 8 a.m., the Rock City Cruisers Car Show registration will begin in the Aquatic Center parking lot. Then at 8:30-9 a.m., the Arvest Bank parade line up will begin on Woodland Park Road. The parade begins at 10 a.m.
“We highly recommend you get to the park before 10. The parade will block traffic for some time,” noted Karen Grice of Heartland Bank, this year’s co-chair.
The parade will wind from Woodland Park Road down Boone Road into and all the way to the back of the park.
An older child area will include laser tag this year. KidzLand opens at 10 a.m. with a train ride, water feature blow ups, bounce houses, slides, face painting, balloon animals, learning stations by local daycares, etc. Armbands at $15 cover the blow ups ad train all day. Some other activities are free. Some of the other activities have set separate ticket prices. Kidzland is made possible by Candice Stanley Allstate Insurance.
Another new event this year will be the Fall Fest Invitational Baseball Tournament with ball teams representing ballparks across the county coming together at Bishop to play an exhibition tournament.
The food court opens at 10 a.m., with bubble tea smoothies, snow cones, ice cream, fried catfish, corn dogs, funnel cakes, chicken fingers, hot dogs, tornado potato, fried pop tarts, lemonade, tea, roasted peanuts, kettle korn, egg rolls, shaved ice, fruit smoothies, root beer floats and pretzels.
At 10 a.m., and all day on every hour, the Heartland Bank Treasures in the Sand event will give drawing winners a chance to dig for prizes. At the end of the day, the grand prize winner will receive a Kindle. You must be present to win.
When the parade enters the park, stage activities begin with the spirit groups from the Bryant and Bethel schools performing.
At 11, the third annual Ken Palmquist Duct Tape Boat Race by Landers of Saline County hits the water at the front pond. The watercraft of every imagining will stay afloat only on the power of duct tape, PVC pipe and their inventor’s ingenuity. New this year is a Kayak for the grand prize in the Adult Division.
Noon is the beginning of the Hamilton Family Dentistry Kids Fishing Derby. If any of the contestants under 16 catch a tagged fish (there are two) between noon and 2 p.m., they win $100.
Also scheduled is the Political Cake Auction. Winners get to speak from the stage for as long as they can hold their hand in a bucket of ice water.
Thereafter the contests for kids begin. First is the First Electric Cooperative Corp., baby crawl contest. Entrants must be under one year old. Parents may encourage and entice with a favorite toy, but cannot touch.
The Hula Hoop contest brings kids and an occasional adult up to the stage to show their mastery of this simple hoop.
All day people will be bringing and blinging pumpkins in the Saline County Art Project area, made possible by Flowers & Home of Bryant. The final judging will be done just before 4 p.m. The Art Project of Saline County area will encompass other art related fun as well. Companies are encouraged to bling pumpkins with their logos.
Those who are not artsy, and want a pumpkin event more to the “thrill” side, can join First Electric in the Pumpkin Toss Contest. No skill other than a good throwing arm is necessary. Just pick up a pumpkin (of regulation size) and throw it as far as you can. Best throw wins.
All day, talent will be showcased on stage. At least three young singing artists will take the stage.
For more information, go to the Chamber website at www.bryantchamber.com or call the Chamber at 847-4702.
