John Van Hook, Somerset, KY, with 1293 lbs. winner - Oct. 6, 2018

2018 Allardt Pumpkin Festival King and Queen

Dwayn and Peggy Delk

Dwayn and Peggy are both lifelong residents of Fentress County.

Born in the Round Mountain community to Exon and Velma Delk, Dwayn graduated from York Institute in 1966 and a year later joined the Army where he served two years. He returned home in 1969 after spending one year in Vietnam. He and Peggy were married in 1970 and moved to Allardt in 1974.

Dwayn worked at Jamestown Broilers until it closed in 1980. and then raised chickens until his retirement in 2014.

Over the years, Dwayn enjoyed spending much time with his friends Jim Asberry, Dave Terry, Scottie Blair, George Kilgore, and Larry Cooper at the Allardt Food Market.  The conversation always seemed to get around to giant pumpkins, and encouraged by his friends, Dwayn decided to try his hand at growing a giant pumpkin of his own.

As it turned out, Dwayne was a big success at growing pumpkins. His giant entries won the Allardt Weigh-off in 1994, 1995, and 1998. And his Fentress County Fair pumpkin entry won the first place title in 1995.

Dwayn has served with the Allardt Volunteer Fire Department since 1995 and has been a board member of the Fentress County Farm Bureau for several years.

One of nine children, Dwayn's wife Peggy was born in Grimsley, to Haskell and Odell Beaty. She graduated from Clarkrange High School in 1969, where she was a member of the Lady Buffaloes Basketball Team.

After graduation, Peggy worked in the clothing industry and in retail at several locations in Fentress County before joining Walmart in 2004, where she worked until her retirement in 2015.

Dwayn and Peggy have two children- Anita and husband Bryant Johnson, and Anthony and wife Marlena Tompkins. – and four grandchildren – Wesley, Dillon, Emily, and Madison.

Peggy enjoys cooking, gardening, and spending time with family. Dwayn likes to fish, camp, and watch his grandchildren compete in various sports.

The City of Allardt and the Pumpkin Festival Committee would like to thank Dwayn and Peggy for their life-long community service and support of the Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh Off.

Vendor list and map

Map of vendor park and vendor list posted on Allardt Pumpkin Festival Facebook page.

Click here

2018 Pumpkin Festival Car Show, Oct. 6

Jaimee Paul to appear at Oct 6 Pumpkin Festival

 

 

 

 

This year’s Allardt Pumpkin Festival (Saturday, Oct. 6) will offer a special entertainment treat. Singer Jaimee Paul delighted crowds on the square in Jamestown following the 2017 Christmas Parade. She and her musician husband, Leif Shires, will perform two sets onstage at Allardt City Hall, the first at 4 p.m. and the second at 6 p.m.

 

Raised in southern Illinois, she sang in choirs and her style is influenced deeply by gospel music, as well as blues and jazz. After high school Jaimee headed to Nashville to attend the “Harvard of Music Business,” Belmont University, and quickly found her place as a contemporary artist singing original songs as well as songs deeply rooted in the American Songbook. 

 

After college, she worked at various record labels handling marketing and radio promotion. Her passion, however, was singing and she moved quickly into a first-call studio session singer as well a background vocalist for such artists as country superstar Wynonna, The Judds, and Kelly Clarkson. Industry giants such as Bill Gaither, David Foster and Michael Omartian recognized her world class talent, and it wasn’t long until she took the stage as her own. Jaimee signed a record deal with Green Hill Music after southern gospel legend Bill Gaither heard her sing and recommended the deal. Her debut record, “At Last” reached #1 on the iTunes Jazz charts. She has recorded over 10 albums for Green Hill and many have placed in the Top 10 including “Bonded,” a tribute record to the 50 years of the James Bond film series.

 

In 2013, Jaimee recorded a devotional hymns album, “Hear My Prayer” which garnered a Dove Award nomination for Best Inspirational Album. Her Christmas record “Christmas Time Is Here” received over one million streams. She is also a songwriter and has written many beautiful, original songs expressing a vast array of emotions. 

 

Often appearing with Jaimee on stage is her husband, best friend and trumpet player, Leif Shires. He is the brass leader and arranger for Kelly Clarkson and has performed with artists such as Jack White, Wanda Jackson, Barry Gibb, TG Sheppard, as well as bands such as The Memphis Horns and the Latin band Salvador. 

 

A highly acclaimed and often nominiated artist, Jaimee has performed throughout the US, Canada, Europe, and Japan with audiences that include prime ministers, congressmen, military leaders, and world ambassadors. 

 

The 27th annual Allardt Pumpkin Festival is delighted to feature Jaimee Paul in concert.

Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Roll Contest

2018 Pumpkin Festival Pageant Winners

Beauty Pageant Winners, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018

Festival News Release

Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off set for Saturday, October 6

Twenty-seven years after celebrating Jim Asberry’s 716.5-pound Tennessee record-breaking pumpkin, the City of Allardt again anticipates a record breaker at its Saturday, October 6 festival and weigh-off. Previous festivals have featured jaw-dropping giant pumpkins with weights that toppled records for Kentucky and Georgia as well as Tennessee and the local event.

In 2017 James and John VanHook of Somerset, KY, broke records for the weigh-off as well as the state of Kentucky with their 1,594 lbs. entry. Second place went to Bruce Terry of Helenwood with a 1,353 pounder and third place to Jason Terry of Oneida with a 1,342 lbs. entry. Tim Grizzle of Blairsville broke the Georgia state record with a 4^th place pumpkin weighing 1,306. But Allardt still await the 2,000 pounder. This could be the year.

Thousands of festival goers will flock to this favorite fall event, drawn by the weigh-off, plus a spectacular region-wide auto show, food and craft vendors in Bruno Gernt Park, live music on-stage at City Hall, a Pumpkin Run, motorcycle and tractor shows, a parade at 3 p.m. (Central), and a costume contest. The festival is fun for the entire family with free parking, free admission, and fireworks to top off the day. A pre-festival Great Pumpkin Beauty Pageant sponsored by Clarkrange Drug Center is set for Sept. 29 in Jamestown with winners to be introduced at the festival’s 10 a.m opening ceremonies October 6.

The actual weigh-off at the Sandy’s Diner building is set for 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. with registration from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Dwight Dickson will serve as master of ceremonies. Allardt is a GPC weigh-off site offering $1000, $600, and $400 prizes for the top pumpkin, watermelon, and green squash respectively. An assortment of other vegetables will compete for weight and size awards as well.

Chairman Cathy Jeffers will officially open the festival at 10 a.m. (Central) October 6 at Allardt City Hall with introductions of the 2018 Festival King and Queen and pageant winners from the September 29 event. A costume contest sponsored by Progressive Savings Bank for children up to age 12 will follow at the same location. Register for the contest beside the stage at 9:30 a.m.

Live music and entertainment on stage at City Hall starts at 12:30 p.m. to run until the 3 p.m. parade. Singers and musicians resume following the parade at about 4 p.m. Headlining the event will be singer Jaimee Paul and her band (jaimeepaul.com), with performances by Tim Ledbetter Band, Cody Hull, and Children's Jubilee. William Bilbrey (Millenium Sound) is entertainment coordinator.

Stephen Williams, assisted by the York Institute Cheerleaders, spearheads the Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show, sponsored by O’Reilly Auto Parts and Bank of Fentress County. Registration is from 8 a.m. until noon at the 4-way stop in Allardt. Entries can expect lots of prizes, awards, and cash giveaways. The Motorcycle Show, coordinated by Doug Sells, will also present trophies and prizes. The Motorcycle Show is sponsored by Union Bank, Micro Metals Inc., and DSC Concrete. Antique tractor exhibitors will gather near the auto show and participate along with autos and motorcycles in the 3 p.m. parade. Dustin Garrett coordinates the tractor show, sponsored by Twin Lakes Lawn & Tractor, Cookeville, and Garrett Tractor Repair and Restoration, Jamestown. Tractor entries will also receive freebies provided by steinertractorparts.com

Runners start off the day at 7 a.m. (Central) at Allardt School for the annual Pumpkin Run. There are 10k, 5k, and 3k runs and a one-mile Fun Run. Pick up an entry form at Hall Family Pharmacy, event sponsor in Jamestown.  You may also download an entry form at allardtpumpkinfestival.com or register the morning of the run. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the Children’s Shopping Spree.

The Pumpkin Festival Parade, a highlight of the day, will step off at 3 p.m. led by the winning giant pumpkin and the Festival King and Queen, accompanied by the Oneida High School Pride of the Tribe Marching Band. Crystal Tompkins is parade chairman.

The 2017 first annual Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Roll Contest was a huge success. Entries will again be taken at the Allardt Medical Clinic at 2009 Michigan Avenue beside the Allardt Fire Hall between 8:00 and 9:30 am the day of the Festival. Anyone can enter and all entries must be homemade. The $10 entry fee will go to the Allardt Volunteer Fire Department with the actual desserts being served with the meals purchased at the Fire Hall. Winners will be announced at the City Hall stage around noon, with the 1^st and 2^nd place winning entries being auctioned off at that time. All proceeds go to the Allardt Fire Department. The first place winners in each of the two categories will get $200 each with the 2^nd place winners receiving $50. This event is sponsored by the Allardt Medical Clinic and the Dr. Doug Smith Family.

For the best festival food in the Southeast make your way to the Bruno Gernt Park and sample the highly sought pumpkin rolls, fried pies, fried Oreos, pumpkin and nut breads, rolled ice cream, and the usual funnel cakes and homemade goodies brought by local church folks.  Come early for the best selection of goodies.

There is more substantial fare as well – tasty barbecue at the Allardt Fire Hall, deep fried vegetables, Italian and Polish sausages, hamburgers, hot dogs, pinto beans and corn bread, and barbecue from vendors in the park.

Shop for festival t-shirts at the Information Booth #4 in the park, crafts and decorative items, including handmade wreaths, quilts, afghans, Christmas decorations, wood crafts, artwork, jewelry, purses, and numerous other items. Vendor park sponsors are Micro Metals Inc. and Top of the Hill Properties. Cathy Jeffers is coordinator.

Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative provides free Wi-fi for the festival in the vendor park and at one additional location in the city.

For more information and updates see the Allardt Pumpkin Festival Facebook page or AllardtPumpkinFestival.com.

Sponsors of the festival and weigh-off include: Allardt Land Company, Allardt Medical Clinic, Bank of Fentress County, Buckeye Home Medical Equipment, City of Jamestown, Clarkrange Drug Center, Conditioned Heating & Cooling, Dilip Joshi, M.D., DSC Concrete, Fentress County Soil Conservation District, Fentress County Farm Bureau, Fentress County Solid Waste, Fentress Courier, First Volunteer Bank, Garrett Tractor Repair & Restoration, H&R Block, Hall Family Pharmacy, Micro Metals Inc., O’Reilly Auto Parts, Progressive Savings Bank, R&T Trophies, Rains Agency, Senator Ken Yager, St. Christopher Catholic Church, Steiner Tractor Parts, Top of the Hill Properties, Twin Lakes Lawn & Tractor, and Union Bank.            

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