Jake Hoot, Winner Season 17 NBC’s show “The Voice,” will headline the entertainment with a concert on stage at Allardt City Hall from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
20200924
20200923
The Great Pumpkin will make his appearance at the 29th Annual Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off Oct. 3
It’s pumpkin time in Tennessee. And yes, the great pumpkin will make his appearance once again at the 2020 Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off on Saturday, Oct. 3.
To promote safety, we will be following the June 2020 Tennessee Pledge – Guidelines for Attractions, Large Venues, & Large Community Events – providing hand sanitizer stations, spacing vendors for social distancing, and recommending face masks as appropriate.
Many other weigh-off events around the nation have been canceled for this year, and growers are seeking opportunities to show off their giant pumpkins, green squash, and watermelons for world record consideration. We are anticipating some record-breaking entries.
Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama state records have been broken in previous years at the Allardt GPC weigh-off for both giant pumpkins and green squash. Massive watermelons brought by world record holder Chris Kent of Sevierville have been weighed in Allardt as well.
The 2019 big pumpkin winner was Jason Terry of Oneida with his 1,491-pound entry. Spencer Glasgow of Bessemer, AL, won the 2019 watermelon weigh-off with a 321 lb. entry that broke the Alabama state record. John Brooks of Ronda, NC, won first place in his category with a 625 lb. green squash.
Prizes of $1000, $600, and $400 will go to the top pumpkin, watermelon, and green squash respectively, with lesser amount for 2nd through 5th place winners. An assortment of corn stalks, potatoes, tomatoes, sunflowers and other entries will compete for recognition also.
The weigh-off at the Sandy’s Diner building is set for 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. (Central Time). Register your entries there from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. John Gunter, Fentress County UT Agriculture Agent, is site coordinator, and Dwight Dixon, USDA Fentress County Soil Conservation District Conservationist, will again serve as master of ceremonies. Sponsors include Dr. Dilip Joshi, Clarkrange Drug Center and Quality Family of Companies.
Festival goers can enjoy a spectacular region-wide Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show, plus a Motorcycle Show, food and craft vendors in Bruno Gernt Park, live entertainment on-stage at City Hall, a Pumpkin Run at 7 a.m., and a parade at 3 p.m. (Central). The Allardt Fire Hall will be serving barbecue as usual at lunch time.
Pumpkin Festival Chairman Cathy Jeffers will officially open the festival at 10 a.m. (Central) at Allardt City Hall with introductions of the 2020 Festival Royalty.
Jake Hoot, Winner Season 17 NBC’s show “The Voice,” will headline the entertainment with a concert on stage at Allardt City Hall from 12 noon to 1 p.m. He will be followed by Ashley Hepperly from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. William Bilbrey (Millenium Sound) is entertainment coordinator.
Stephen Williams spearheads the Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show, sponsored by O’Reilly Auto Parts. Register your entry for $10 from 8 a.m. until noon at the 4-way stop in Allardt. Entries can expect lots of prizes, awards, and cash giveaways. The auto show is sponsored by O’Reilly Auto Parts.
The Motorcycle Show, coordinated by Jeremy Blevins and sponsored by Scott and Mary Alice Edwards and Top of the Hill Properties, will also present trophies and prizes. Thanks to the sponsor, NO Entry Fee for cycles this year. Presentations of awards for both shows will take place at 2 p.m.
Registration for the Pumpkin Run begins at 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. Oct. 3 at Allardt School. Line-up is 7:45 to 8 a.m. with start time at 8 a.m. Categories of entry are 10K run, 5K run, 3K, and 1 mile Fun Run. Entry fee is $15 for the 10k, 5K, and 3k, ($40 for family 3+ entries) and $10 for the 1 mile Fun Run. The event is sponsored by Hall Family Pharmacy to benefit the Pat Summitt Foundation. Entry forms are available at Hall Family Pharmacy. Participants can register the morning of the run.
The Pumpkin Festival Parade, set for 3 p.m. (Central) is always a highlight of the day and one of the largest parades of the year for Fentress County. The deadline for entries is noon Thursday, October 1. Call Ashley Bilbrey at 397-0300 to register and for additional information.
Your favorite crafts and food vendors will be set up in Bruno Gernt Park and directly behind the park at the FCBE Alternative School, all day. The Vendor Park will have additional space between vendors and proposed one-way routing for foot traffic. All vendors set up anywhere in Allardt and who have not paid the fee are asked to purchase a vendor's permit for $25 at Allardt City Hall and keep it at their site during the festival. The permit verifies that vendors have helped support the festival by their contribution toward festival expenses. The vendor park is sponsored by Micro Metals and Top of the Hill Properties. Cathy Jeffers is vendor park chairman.
Several regular events from past festivals have been cut this year, but will be restored in 2021. These include Pumpkin Festival Beauty Pageants, Children's Costume Contest, Pooch Parade, Antique Tractor Show, and Homemade Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Roll Contest. These event chairmen and volunteers decided it would be too difficult to follow the Tennessee safety guidelines for their specific workers and spectators.
The Fireworks display has been permanently eliminated from the line-up because of the danger of fire during dry spells and stress on livestock and other animals in the area.
We ask all those attending to take recommended precautions for health and safety, including social distancing (staying six feet apart and following one-way routing for foot traffic), regular use of hand sanitizer, and face masks in crowded areas. And if you have doubts about being in large outdoor crowds during this time, please skip this year and rejoin us in 2021.
Weigh-off and Festival Event Sponsors and Contributors:
Allardt Real Estate Association, LLC, City of Allardt, City of Jamestown, Clarkrange Drug Center, Dilip Joshi, M.D., Fentress County Farm Bureau, Fentress County Soil Conservation District, Fentress County Chamber of Commerce, Fentress Courier, First Volunteer Bank, Hall Family Pharmacy, Jimtown Florist, Micro Metals Inc., Moody’s Automotive, O’Reilly Auto Parts, One Bank, Quality Family of Companies, Representative John Mark Windle, Senator Ken Yager, Top of the Hill Properties, Union Bank, and UT Extension Service.
20200910
Latest Update and Events Schedule for Saturday, Oct. 3rd Allardt Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off
Allardt's 29th Annual Great Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off is set for Saturday, October 3. In a sincere attempt to follow the June 2020 Tennessee Pledge – Guidelines for Attractions, Large Venues, & Large Community Events – adjustments have been made to the program of events for this year only.
Pumpkin Run- Registration 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. Oct. 3 at Allardt School. Line-up 7:45 to 8 a.m., and start time at 8 a.m. Categories of entry are 10K run, 5K run, 3K, and 1 mile Fun Run. Entry fee is $15 for the 10k, 5K, and 3k, ($40 for family 3+ entries) and $10 for the 1 mile Fun Run. Sponsored by Hall Family Pharmacy to benefit the Pat Summitt Foundation. Entry forms available at Hall Family Pharmacy. Register the morning of the run or online at https://greatpumpkinfestivalpumpkinrun.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=13570 .
Festival Kick-off Ceremonies –10 a.m. at Allardt City Hall. Chairman Cathy Jeffers will welcome everyone and present the 2020 Great Pumpkin Festival Royalty.
Weigh-Off of Pumpkins and Other Vegetables – Register your pumpkins, squash, watermelons, and other vegetables from 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. at the Sandy’s Diner building. Entry fee $10. The actual weigh-off will take place between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Allardt is an official GPC weigh-off site.
- Pumpkins - First place - $1000 (2nd – 10th place – $400, $300, $200, $100, $50, $25)
- Watermelons - First place - $600 (2nd – 5th place – $300, $200, $100, $50)
- Green Squash - First place - $400 (2nd – 5th place – $300, $200, $100, $50)
- Prettiest Pumpkin - $100
The big pumpkin winner must ride in the parade or be disqualified. See rules and regulations at www.allardtpumpkinfestival.com. Dwight Dickson will serve as master of ceremonies. John Gunter with the UT Extension Service will serve as the Site Coordinator. Sponsors include Dr. Dilip Joshi, Clarkrange Drug Center, and Quality Family of Companies.
Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show
Registration Saturday from 8 a.m. – noon Central Time at the 4-Way Stop in Allardt. $10 registration fee. ALL cars and trucks welcome!
- Awards to Top 25. Dash plaques to the first 300 entries.
- Gift Cards and Car Wash Bucket giveaways.
- Awards and prizes start at 2:00 p.m. day of show registration only.
- Swap meet spaces (auto related items only) 15’ x 20’ - $25.
- Event chairman: Stephen Williams, 931-265-3264.
- Sponsored by O’Reilly Auto Parts
Motorcycle Show
Registration Saturday from 8 a.m. – noon Central Time at Allardt Land Company. $10 registration fee. ALL motorcycles welcome!
- Awards and Prize giveaways at Auto Show at 2:00 pm
- Day of show registration only
- Event chairman – J.J. Johnson, 931-397-0678.
- Sponsored by Scott and Mary Alice Edwards and Top of the Hill Properties.
Pumpkin Festival Parade - 3 p.m. – The parade is always a highlight of the day and one of the largest parades of the year for Fentress County. As usual, parade entries will line up on the Baseline Road. To line up, follow Highway 52 E from Allardt past the orange water tower to the Les Franklin Road. Turn left at the Les Franklin Road. Then enter the Baseline Road from the Les Franklin Road only. The deadline for entries is noon Thursday, October 3. Call Ashley Bilbrey at 397-0300 to register and for additional information.
Entertainment and On Stage Schedule – Allardt City Hall. William Bilbrey, entertainment chairman.
- 10:00 am – Festival Royalty Introduction
- 12:00 – 1:00 pm – Jake Hoot, Winner Season 17 NBC’s show “The Voice”
- 1:30 – 2:30 pm – Ashley Hepperly
Crafts and Food Vendors - Bruno Gernt Park and directly behind the park at the FCBE Alternative School, all day. The Vendor Park will have additional space between vendors and proposed one-way routing for foot traffic. All vendors set up anywhere in Allardt and who have not paid the fee are asked to purchase a vendor's permit for $25 at Allardt City Hall and keep it at their site during the festival. The permit verifies that vendors have helped support the festival by their contribution toward festival expenses. The vendor park is sponsored by Micro Metals and Top of the Hill Properties. Cathy Jeffers, event chairman.
While it was very difficult to postpone any of the treasured events, some event chairmen and volunteers reviewed the guidelines in respect to their specific events and determined it would be difficult to follow the guidelines for their specific workers and spectators.
The events that will be postponed until next year include: Beauty Pageants, Children's Costume Contest, Pooch Parade, Antique Tractor Show, and Homemade Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Roll Contest. The Fireworks display has been eliminated from the line-up due to periodic weather concerns and effects on the livestock in close proximity to the event.
We encourage attendees to follow all safety guidelines for large events, including social distancing, use of hand sanitizers, and wearing masks when appropriate. While many people are encouraged to have a family event to enjoy during these stressful times, others may still be apprehensive to be in large crowds. As always, these events will be documented by WDEB Radio Station and made available for later viewing. So we encourage those who are not completely comfortable with socializing at this time to stay home and stay safe.
~ Free Parking and Free Admission ~
Weigh-off and Festival Event Sponsors and Contributors:
Allardt Land Company, City of Allardt, City of Jamestown, Clarkrange Drug Center, Conditioned Heating & Cooling, Dave Kirk Automotive, Dilip Joshi, M.D., Fentress County Farm Bureau, Fentress County Solid Waste, Fentress County Soil Conservation District, Fentress County Chamber of Commerce, Fentress Courier, First Volunteer Bank, Hall Family Pharmacy, Micro Metals Inc., Moody’s Automotive, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Quality Private Care, R&T Trophies, Representative John Mark Windle, Senator Ken Yager, Top of the Hill Properties, Union Bank, and UT Extension Service, Jimtown Florist, and Quality Family of Companies.
20200731
July 31, 2020 Update for 2020 Allardt Pumpkin Festival
July 31, 2020
Great News! There will be an Allardt Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
We will be following the June 2020 Tennessee Pledge – Guidelines for Attractions, Large Venues, & Large Community Events
Great News! There will be an Allardt Pumpkin Festival and Weigh-off on Saturday, October 3, 2020.
We will be following the June 2020 Tennessee Pledge – Guidelines for Attractions, Large Venues, & Large Community Events
The Weigh-off itself is a go, according to the Site Coordinator John
Gunter, with the UT Agriculture Office. Some growers who have never been
to the Allardt event are planning to compete here due to closures at
other weigh-off sites.
The Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show and Cycle Show events are expected to see a large turn out because of cancelled shows throughout the summer season.
Jake Hoot will appear on stage at City Hall as scheduled. Seating will be spread out to provide distance between household groups.
These traditional events will be featured as usual –
Parade
Pumpkin Run
Vendor Park – We will expand the space to include the area behind the Bruno Gernt Park across Portland Avenue in front of the Fentress County Board of Education Alternative School. This was previously used for parking. The Vendor Park will have additional space between vendors and proposed one-way routing for foot traffic.
Beauty Pageants will NOT be held this year due to indoor restrictions and the lack of an appropriate outside venue that would accommodate the usual number of entrants and spectators with shelter from the weather.
The Costume Contest will also be put on hold for one year with Smart Bank planning to gear back up for the 2021 Festival.
The Tractor Show will be canceled this year to protect the mostly older participants in this event.
The Pooch Parade will also be canceled, but we hope to try it again in 2021.
Fireworks will be removed from the event list indefinitely in response to the many requests from pet owners in the area.
We encourage all attendees to follow all safety guidelines for large events, including social distancing, use of hand sanitizers, and masks when appropriate.
We will attempt to provide as much social distancing as possible including some one-way routing for foot traffic, additional spaces between entries and vendor locations, and sanitation stations throughout the area.
We will provide updates well before the event with times and schedules.
The Clyde and Zelia Stephens Memorial Auto Show and Cycle Show events are expected to see a large turn out because of cancelled shows throughout the summer season.
Jake Hoot will appear on stage at City Hall as scheduled. Seating will be spread out to provide distance between household groups.
These traditional events will be featured as usual –
Parade
Pumpkin Run
Vendor Park – We will expand the space to include the area behind the Bruno Gernt Park across Portland Avenue in front of the Fentress County Board of Education Alternative School. This was previously used for parking. The Vendor Park will have additional space between vendors and proposed one-way routing for foot traffic.
Beauty Pageants will NOT be held this year due to indoor restrictions and the lack of an appropriate outside venue that would accommodate the usual number of entrants and spectators with shelter from the weather.
The Costume Contest will also be put on hold for one year with Smart Bank planning to gear back up for the 2021 Festival.
The Tractor Show will be canceled this year to protect the mostly older participants in this event.
The Pooch Parade will also be canceled, but we hope to try it again in 2021.
Fireworks will be removed from the event list indefinitely in response to the many requests from pet owners in the area.
We encourage all attendees to follow all safety guidelines for large events, including social distancing, use of hand sanitizers, and masks when appropriate.
We will attempt to provide as much social distancing as possible including some one-way routing for foot traffic, additional spaces between entries and vendor locations, and sanitation stations throughout the area.
We will provide updates well before the event with times and schedules.
20191005
2019 Festival King and Queen
The Great Pumpkin Festival Committee would like to recognize this year’s Festival King and Queen, Rondal and Geraldine Moody.
Rondal and Geraldine assisted the late Clyde and Zelia Stephens in organizing and managing the first Festival Car Shows in the early 1990’s and worked with that popular event for several years. They have attended every Pumpkin Festival since then and have always entered their antique cars in the show.
Rondal and Geraldine Moody are lifelong residents of Fentress County. Rondal was born and raised in Allardt and Geraldine in Clarkrange. They met in Nashville where Rondal had gone for work and Geraldine for school. They got married in 1962 and moved back to Fentress County in 1963. They have been married for 57 years and have two children, Rhonda and James, who both live and have raised their children in Fentress County.
Rondal has been in business in Fentress County since he was 20 years old. Rondal and Geraldine had Moody's Cafeteria from 1963-1972. He was co-owner of C&M Car Washes and C&M Suzuki Center. Rondal started Moody's Used Cars in 1987. The business is now known as Moody's Automotive.
Rondal and Geraldine are both retired and their son, James now operates Moody's Automotive. Geraldine is retired after 31 years of employment at Fentress County General Hospital. Their daughter, Rhonda, also retired from the hospital. In their retirement they enjoy going to the lake, having lots of family time with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They also enjoy spending the winters in Florida.
Rondal and Geraldine love God, their family, their country, and love living in Fentress County. They consider it an honor to have been chosen as the 2019 Pumpkin Festival King and Queen.
The Pumpkin Festival Committee is pleased to honor these great community servants, Rondal and Geraldine Moody.
20190926
Vendor Maps Posted on Facebook page
The tentative GPF Vendor placement list and map are posted on our Facebook page. The GPF Committee reserves the right to make adjustments to the vendor placement, as needed. Maps and lists will be posted at the shelters in the park and assistance will be available at the Information Booth. Please adhere to the set up schedules on the Vendor Information Sheets. We are hoping to get most of the large trailers set up between 4:00 and 6:00 pm on Thursday, 10/3, or before noon on Friday. Non-trailers can start setting up at noon on Friday.
Link to vendor maps on Facebook page
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)