ELLISVILLE — Lots of food, entertainment, crafts and fellowship were available to those attending Ellisville Rotary Fest 2009 in downtown Ellisville Saturday.
Aaron Oberschmidt, president of the Ellisville Rotary Club, said this year’s event attracted more vendors and some increased entertainment.
“This is a great way to show our community involvement and to have an event for the public to take part in,” he said. “It’s also a venue for all the show choirs and school groups to perform and allow the public to see what they have to offer.”
He said the event, which provides live entertainment from local schools and other groups, also attracts many parents and concerned adults who come out to support the young people.
Oberschmidt said the festival added the bull riding and pony rides to its list of entertainment this year.
Eleven-year-old Dakota Cobb of Soso was one of several young people who tried their hand at bull riding Saturday during the festival.
Cobb, who was attending the festival for the first time, said the bull riding and the many shops were the highlight of his visit to the festival.
Cobb’s mother, Lisa Cobb, said she has attended the festival several times and it allows her to develop her skill of photography.
“I like coming and seeing all of the people,” she said. “I like taking photos, so there’s a lot to be photographed.”
Seven-year-old Skyla Walters of Ellisville got a chance to come to the festival with her grandmother, Terry Holloway of Tuckers Crossing.
Skyla, who got a lady bug painted on her face by Terri Boteler during the festival, said she had been looking forward to “riding the pony” on her first visit to the event.
Holloway said she tries to come to the festival each year.
“I like to look at the crafts and different things,” she said. “It also gives you some ideas for Christmas.”
“The food is always good too,” she added.
Joann Carter of Sharon said she comes to the festival each year.
However, this year, Carter and her daughter-in-law Melissa Carter, had a booth for their business, Craftee Carters, at the festival for the first time.
Terri Boteler, who does art work, said the festival is also a venue for her to showcase her work.
Zilla Wilson with Ellisville State School’s Craft Shop agreed.
Wilson said Ellisville State School has a booth at the festival to showcase the school’s clients’ work.
“A lot of people are not aware of the work that our clients can do,” Wilson said. “This allows us an opportunity to show off their talents.”
Festival goers Gale Tolbert of Sharon and Jennifer Suber of Ellisville said they just enjoy the fellowship and the many crafts booths.
Brooke Sanderson said she’s been coming to the festival for several years. However, this was her first year to have a booth selling AVON products.
Oberschmidt said the festival is the Rotary Club’s main fundraiser of the year. He said the club has been doing the event since the late 1980s.
He said the changing of the festival date to avoid a conflict with the South Mississippi State Fair was a plus.
“We started being in competition with the fair, so we moved ours back a week,” he explained. “Because of that, we were able to increase our vendors this year and it makes for a better event.”
Oberschmidt said the festival usually attracts about 50 vendors. This year the number increased to 70.
Oberschmidt said the proceeds from the day will go toward the completion of a Boy Scouts hut built in Ellisville, some other local projects and for scholarships to Jones County Junior College students.
Local News
Related Photos
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Photo/Eloria Newell James
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Photo/Eloria Newell James
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Photo/Eloria Newell James
Rotary Fest 2009
Annual event features food, fun
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