Friday's thunderstorms did not put a damper on Saturday's Purdy events
July 19, 2023
The St. Lawrence Church Dance Group performed at the Purdy Festival last Saturday. Shown above are students Victoria Jose-Estrada, Samuel Jose-Estrada, Fernando Salas, Maria Navarro Paz, Perla Navarro Paz, Ana Navarro Paz, and Clarissa Garcia Garcia. The dance group is taught by Lupita De Leon with the assistance of Yeni Salas.
Adriana Keeton
The Purdy Festival was held last Saturday in conjunction with the Purdy FFA Livestock Show and the Thunder in the Park Car, Truck, and Bike Show despite the severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds that moved through Southwest Missouri, disrupting electric services and downing trees and limbs throughout Barry County Friday night. Luckily, the electricity was back in service for the festival Saturday.
This is the second year I have attended the Purdy Festival, and it does not disappoint. There's something for everyone. This year included carnival games, carnival rides, food trucks, several bounce houses, a performance by the St. Lawrence Church Dance Group, a showroom for local 4-H Member project awards, and my personal favorite, the baby farm animal petting area, and that is just some of the Purdy Festival. It also included several vendors set up outside the school and inside the gymnasium. You could purchase anything from 3D-created characters and laser-scribed wood art from Hector Amaya with Kollecta Creations to have permanent jewelry services placed by Linked By Rylee in the air-conditioned gymnasium.
The Purdy Chapter FFA Livestock Show pushed through despite losing their tent to the Friday night storms. According to the Purdy FFA Facebook page, Purdy Chapter member Brooklyn Bunch was Grand Champion for her Katahdin Ewe, and chapter member Zoey Webb was reserve champion for her Katahdin Ewe.
If you like music and muscle cars, the Thunder in the Park Car, Truck, and Bike Show was the place to be. The Eddie Valen Band again provided this year's entertainment with Brian Lee Dunning. Mike Cook from Monster Garage and Motortrends Ride of Your Life With Courtney Hansen did take the stage and perform a song with the band.
Actor Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster in the The Munsters television series, was available to speak with fans, sign autographs, and take photographs alongside the Dragula Car.
The Purdy Fire Department closed off the highway just after 2 p.m. to prepare for the bathtub races, which began at 2:30 p.m. They also set up "firetruck showers" that provided a much-needed reprieve from the heat, which was enjoyed by adults and children alike. If you have never seen the bathtub races, it is a team of three, one driving the filled bathtub and two manual pushers. Two teams race the approximately 100-yard stretch of the highway. Winners were awarded $5 each. If you are interested in attending the annual festival in 2024, it is held on the third Saturday of July annually.
For more information on the Purdy Festival, visit their Facebook page: Purdy Festival.
The Purdy Festival was held last Saturday in conjunction with the Purdy FFA Livestock Show and the Thunder in the Park Car, Truck, and Bike Show despite the severe thunderstorms and straight-line winds that moved through Southwest Missouri, disrupting electric services and downing trees and limbs throughout Barry County Friday night. Luckily, the electricity was back in service for the festival Saturday.
This is the second year I have attended the Purdy Festival, and it does not disappoint. There's something for everyone. This year included carnival games, carnival rides, food trucks, several bounce houses, a performance by the St. Lawrence Church Dance Group, a showroom for local 4-H Member project awards, and my personal favorite, the baby farm animal petting area, and that is just some of the Purdy Festival. It also included several vendors set up outside the school and inside the gymnasium. You could purchase anything from 3D-created characters and laser-scribed wood art from Hector Amaya with Kollecta Creations to have permanent jewelry services placed by Linked By Rylee in the air-conditioned gymnasium.
The Purdy Chapter FFA Livestock Show pushed through despite losing their tent to the Friday night storms. According to the Purdy FFA Facebook page, Purdy Chapter member Brooklyn Bunch was Grand Champion for her Katahdin Ewe, and chapter member Zoey Webb was reserve champion for her Katahdin Ewe.
If you like music and muscle cars, the Thunder in the Park Car, Truck, and Bike Show was the place to be. The Eddie Valen Band again provided this year's entertainment with Brian Lee Dunning. Mike Cook from Monster Garage and Motortrends Ride of Your Life With Courtney Hansen did take the stage and perform a song with the band.
Actor Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster in the The Munsters television series, was available to speak with fans, sign autographs, and take photographs alongside the Dragula Car.
The Purdy Fire Department closed off the highway just after 2 p.m. to prepare for the bathtub races, which began at 2:30 p.m. They also set up "firetruck showers" that provided a much-needed reprieve from the heat, which was enjoyed by adults and children alike. If you have never seen the bathtub races, it is a team of three, one driving the filled bathtub and two manual pushers. Two teams race the approximately 100-yard stretch of the highway. Winners were awarded $5 each. If you are interested in attending the annual festival in 2024, it is held on the third Saturday of July annually.
For more information on the Purdy Festival, visit their Facebook page: Purdy Festival.
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Raeleigh Brown, with the Exeter Trailblazers 4-H, took home a blue ribbon from the Ozark Empire Fair for her presentation on "Picking Horse Hooves". Several local 4-H presentations were on display at the festival.
For more information on local 4-H groups, contact the MU Extension Office of Barry County at 417-847-3161. |
Several dozen vendor booths participated in this year's Purdy Festival. Above, top, are 3-D Characters created by Hector Amaya with Kollecta Creations. Linked By Rylee, above bottom, provided permanent jewelry services for patrons in the gymnasium throughout the day.
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Above, top, Preslee Henderson, 3, of Crane, spent some time pampering and playing with baby farm animals at the festival. Preslee is the daughter of Tate and Anastasia Henderson.
Above, bottom, the Purdy Chapter FFA Livestock Show pushed through despite losing their tent to the Friday night storms. |
The Eddie Valen Band with Brian Lee Dunning filled the air with classic hits at the show. Shown above in front is the Dragular Car from the hit television series The Munsters.
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Shown above, Jocyline Midkiff, of Battlefield, took photos and enjoyed talking to Pop Icon Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster in The Munster television series at Saturday's show.
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This 1950 Chevy Coupe, owned by Barb Wittenborn, of Marionville, was the sleekest car in the contest in my opinion.
