Trout Fest returns to Cassville
Jackson Freeman, above, caught his first fish at Roaring River when he was six, as did his mother Rachael Freeman before him, at four years of age. It's a tradition Rachael Freeman values and a legacy she encourages other families to give to their children.
September 1, 2021
Sheila Harris
Trout Fest is returning to Cassville with a more ambitious schedule of events for its second annual appearance on Saturday, September 18. The event will kick off Friday evening, September 17, with a post-game firework display at Wildcat Stadium, before Saturday’s serious fun gets underway.
Trout Fest is the product of year-long, joint planning between the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce, Roaring River State Park and the City of Cassville, represented by promotional agent Rachael Freeman with Element 79 Media.
Freeman, a Cassville native, caught her first fish at Roaring River when she was four-years-old. Her son Jackson caught his first fish there when he was six.
“That kind of family tradition is what we want to encourage with Trout Fest,” Freeman said. “We want to draw visitors up the hill from Roaring River and offer them one more opportunity to create good memories.”
Trout Fest will take place primarily in Cassville’s South Park, adjacent to the Aquatic Center, where additional electrical hookups, lighting and wi-fi have been installed in a joint project between the City of Cassville, Barry Electric and GoBEC Fiber Network.
Trout Fest activities will begin Saturday morning, September 18, in two different locations.
• Registration for a Trout Trot 5K (for adults) and a Minnow Mile (for ages 14 and under) will begin at 6:30 a.m. in the South Park at Cassville. Participation cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children. Race time is at 7:30 a.m.
• At Roaring River, at 7:30 a.m., contestants in the “River to Table” Trout Cook-Off will attempt to hook their fresh trout in preparation for serving them up as entrées for the consideration of celebrity judges at noon.
The trout cook-off will feature up to ten, three-person teams consisting of a fisherman, a chef and an assistant. Fish-cooking will be conducted at South Park, where contestants will also be issued a “mystery basket” of ingredients with which to prepare a side dish to complement their entrees. Live judging will begin at noon. Prizes, including a Weber Grill, fishing poles and gift cards, will be awarded in three categories, including “Best Catch,” “Best Entrée” and “Best Mystery Basket.” Slots for more three-member fishing/cooking teams are still available.
• Art, craft and food vendors will be on site at South Park from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Live music will be played throughout the day, with Ahna Jennings, Ridge Runnerzz and Vibes scheduled to perform as of print date.
• Tommy Hawks Axe House will provide free axe-throwing from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., sponsored by Go-BEC Fiber Network.
• A beer garden will be open from 11 a.m. - 5 pm., hosted by Whistling Springs Brewing Co.
• A corn hole tournament for two-member teams will begin at 10 a.m. and continue through 2 p.m. The winning team will win a customized corn hole set. Registration for the competition is still being accepted. The event is sponsored by Arning Companies in Cassville. Registration cost is $25 per team. After the contest is over, free corn hole playing will be open to the public until 5 p.m.
• A drawing for a custom, rainbow-trout-cerakoted AR-15 rifle donated by Quick Draw Gun will be held at noon at the Cassville Chamber booth beneath the Les Jacobs’ canopy. Raffle tickets may be pre-purchased at the Cassville Chamber office or through PayPal for $10 each or 15 for $100.
In addition to a Wonders of Wildlife booth at Trout Fest, Roaring River State Park will also be hosting Veterans’ Free Fishing Day at the river on September 18.
For more information about Trout Fest or to register for any of the competitions, please call the Cassville Area Chamber at 417-847-2814, or visit www.cassville.com.
Cassville city administrator, Steve Walensky, is excited about teaming with the state park for the benefit of both entities.
“Tourism means a lot to our region economically,” he said, “and Trout Fest is a fun event we can use to collectively strengthen our bond with the tourism segment of our economic base.”
Looking ahead, Walensky hopes to make Trout Fest a multi-day event.
That possibility is already being planned for by Rachael Freeman, who applied for and received a $5,000 grant on behalf of the city from the Department of Tourism, with proceeds to be used for promoting Cassville, Trout Fest and Roaring River. As a grant beneficiary, Freeman and Cassville Area Chamber director, Morgan Williams, were provided free booth space at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia to promote Trout Fest.
Sheila Harris
Trout Fest is returning to Cassville with a more ambitious schedule of events for its second annual appearance on Saturday, September 18. The event will kick off Friday evening, September 17, with a post-game firework display at Wildcat Stadium, before Saturday’s serious fun gets underway.
Trout Fest is the product of year-long, joint planning between the Cassville Area Chamber of Commerce, Roaring River State Park and the City of Cassville, represented by promotional agent Rachael Freeman with Element 79 Media.
Freeman, a Cassville native, caught her first fish at Roaring River when she was four-years-old. Her son Jackson caught his first fish there when he was six.
“That kind of family tradition is what we want to encourage with Trout Fest,” Freeman said. “We want to draw visitors up the hill from Roaring River and offer them one more opportunity to create good memories.”
Trout Fest will take place primarily in Cassville’s South Park, adjacent to the Aquatic Center, where additional electrical hookups, lighting and wi-fi have been installed in a joint project between the City of Cassville, Barry Electric and GoBEC Fiber Network.
Trout Fest activities will begin Saturday morning, September 18, in two different locations.
• Registration for a Trout Trot 5K (for adults) and a Minnow Mile (for ages 14 and under) will begin at 6:30 a.m. in the South Park at Cassville. Participation cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children. Race time is at 7:30 a.m.
• At Roaring River, at 7:30 a.m., contestants in the “River to Table” Trout Cook-Off will attempt to hook their fresh trout in preparation for serving them up as entrées for the consideration of celebrity judges at noon.
The trout cook-off will feature up to ten, three-person teams consisting of a fisherman, a chef and an assistant. Fish-cooking will be conducted at South Park, where contestants will also be issued a “mystery basket” of ingredients with which to prepare a side dish to complement their entrees. Live judging will begin at noon. Prizes, including a Weber Grill, fishing poles and gift cards, will be awarded in three categories, including “Best Catch,” “Best Entrée” and “Best Mystery Basket.” Slots for more three-member fishing/cooking teams are still available.
• Art, craft and food vendors will be on site at South Park from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Live music will be played throughout the day, with Ahna Jennings, Ridge Runnerzz and Vibes scheduled to perform as of print date.
• Tommy Hawks Axe House will provide free axe-throwing from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., sponsored by Go-BEC Fiber Network.
• A beer garden will be open from 11 a.m. - 5 pm., hosted by Whistling Springs Brewing Co.
• A corn hole tournament for two-member teams will begin at 10 a.m. and continue through 2 p.m. The winning team will win a customized corn hole set. Registration for the competition is still being accepted. The event is sponsored by Arning Companies in Cassville. Registration cost is $25 per team. After the contest is over, free corn hole playing will be open to the public until 5 p.m.
• A drawing for a custom, rainbow-trout-cerakoted AR-15 rifle donated by Quick Draw Gun will be held at noon at the Cassville Chamber booth beneath the Les Jacobs’ canopy. Raffle tickets may be pre-purchased at the Cassville Chamber office or through PayPal for $10 each or 15 for $100.
In addition to a Wonders of Wildlife booth at Trout Fest, Roaring River State Park will also be hosting Veterans’ Free Fishing Day at the river on September 18.
For more information about Trout Fest or to register for any of the competitions, please call the Cassville Area Chamber at 417-847-2814, or visit www.cassville.com.
Cassville city administrator, Steve Walensky, is excited about teaming with the state park for the benefit of both entities.
“Tourism means a lot to our region economically,” he said, “and Trout Fest is a fun event we can use to collectively strengthen our bond with the tourism segment of our economic base.”
Looking ahead, Walensky hopes to make Trout Fest a multi-day event.
That possibility is already being planned for by Rachael Freeman, who applied for and received a $5,000 grant on behalf of the city from the Department of Tourism, with proceeds to be used for promoting Cassville, Trout Fest and Roaring River. As a grant beneficiary, Freeman and Cassville Area Chamber director, Morgan Williams, were provided free booth space at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia to promote Trout Fest.
