Purdy Festival this Saturday, July 20
July 17, 2019
Charlea Estes-Jones
This Saturday marks the eighth annual Purdy Festival, a family-friendly event that features day-long fun and free entertainment for all ages in the area. The festival will once again include free rides, a livestock show, a veterans appreciation event, car show and more. This year's festival will be on Saturday, July 20, at the Purdy park and the Purdy School.
The Purdy Festival began in 2011 after a group of teachers and community members came up with the idea of an event that would be family-friendly and for everyone.
This year's event kicks off with registration to the car show at 8 a.m. The Thunder in the Park Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be held in the Veterans Park during the festival. Registration for the event begins at 8 a.m. and awards will be handed out at 3:30 p.m. Classes for the show will be: 1986 to current, 1960 to 1985, 1959 and before, truck and bike. Following awards, entrants are invited to a cruise in at Fred dy's in Joplin. For information about the car show, contact Austin Drake at (417) 737-0392.
Free rides at the Purdy Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each year, the free rides are possible through community sponsorship of the event.
Other events throughout the day include pony rides, a craft show, food vendors, a petting zoo, 4-H exhibits, a veterans appreciation lunch and a co-ed softball tournament.
The location of the softball tournament will be off site in Monett this year due to renovation of the Purdy ball field. The tournament begins at 8 a.m. Contact Micheal Morris for more information regarding the tournament (417) 489-0993.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a veterans appreciation luncheon in the high school gym. The craft fair will also be held in the Purdy High School gym this year.
The 4-H exhibits will be in the Purdy School commons area for visitors to cool off and check out the kids' hard work.
The bathtub races will be at 3 p.m.
At 1 p.m., there will be a group of traditional Latin dancers performing. Folklore San Jose will perform at the pavilion.
The Purdy FFA is in charge of the bathtub races with a junior bracket and a senior bracket this year. Teams will man a bathtub equipped with steering wheels in three-man teams.
Food at the Purdy Festival will include street tacos, ice cream, sno cones, traditional fair foods and more. Some booths may have free food for event goers, but most food will be available for a cost.
At the end of the event, the Purdy Fire Department will spray down those wanting to cool off during the Purdy Fire Cool-Off. Firefighters will make a fountain with hoses around 3:30 p.m. on Highway C for kids to play in.
For more information about the event, go to www.purdyfestival.com.
Charlea Estes-Jones
This Saturday marks the eighth annual Purdy Festival, a family-friendly event that features day-long fun and free entertainment for all ages in the area. The festival will once again include free rides, a livestock show, a veterans appreciation event, car show and more. This year's festival will be on Saturday, July 20, at the Purdy park and the Purdy School.
The Purdy Festival began in 2011 after a group of teachers and community members came up with the idea of an event that would be family-friendly and for everyone.
This year's event kicks off with registration to the car show at 8 a.m. The Thunder in the Park Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be held in the Veterans Park during the festival. Registration for the event begins at 8 a.m. and awards will be handed out at 3:30 p.m. Classes for the show will be: 1986 to current, 1960 to 1985, 1959 and before, truck and bike. Following awards, entrants are invited to a cruise in at Fred dy's in Joplin. For information about the car show, contact Austin Drake at (417) 737-0392.
Free rides at the Purdy Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each year, the free rides are possible through community sponsorship of the event.
Other events throughout the day include pony rides, a craft show, food vendors, a petting zoo, 4-H exhibits, a veterans appreciation lunch and a co-ed softball tournament.
The location of the softball tournament will be off site in Monett this year due to renovation of the Purdy ball field. The tournament begins at 8 a.m. Contact Micheal Morris for more information regarding the tournament (417) 489-0993.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be a veterans appreciation luncheon in the high school gym. The craft fair will also be held in the Purdy High School gym this year.
The 4-H exhibits will be in the Purdy School commons area for visitors to cool off and check out the kids' hard work.
The bathtub races will be at 3 p.m.
At 1 p.m., there will be a group of traditional Latin dancers performing. Folklore San Jose will perform at the pavilion.
The Purdy FFA is in charge of the bathtub races with a junior bracket and a senior bracket this year. Teams will man a bathtub equipped with steering wheels in three-man teams.
Food at the Purdy Festival will include street tacos, ice cream, sno cones, traditional fair foods and more. Some booths may have free food for event goers, but most food will be available for a cost.
At the end of the event, the Purdy Fire Department will spray down those wanting to cool off during the Purdy Fire Cool-Off. Firefighters will make a fountain with hoses around 3:30 p.m. on Highway C for kids to play in.
For more information about the event, go to www.purdyfestival.com.
