Kids’ pedal pull is back at Dairy Fest; other contests

Addie Causey was the 1st place winner in the pedal pull a few years back, picking up a nice John Deere toy tractor of her own.

One of the Dairy Festival’s more popular events for kids returns to the fold this year as Sunshine Equipment, John Deere dealer in Franklinton returns with the Kids’ Pedal Pull.
After a period of absence, kids will be looking forward to the return of this event. There are always great prizes, awards and bragging rights for the year.
Winners are judged on the distance they can pull a chain on a pedal toy tractor.
Nothing to buy for the kids, just show up and register on Dairy Fest Day, Saturday, June 3, at Holmes Water Park. Even before the festival’s official Saturday morning kickoff at 8 a.m., people are busy setting up the tents, food booths, craft tables and displays that dot the over 40-acre water park that has served as the festival grounds since the event’s inception.
All the usual events are on tap for the festival. The Walthall Homemakers’ baby contest and flower show start things off in the morning. Trustmark Bank’s Dairy Festival Queen pageant is open to ages 4-16; Walthall General Hospital’s cake bake-off at 10:30 a.m., followed by the ice cream eating contest and the butter churning contest coordinated by Chancery Clerk Shannon Fortinberry fill out the morning activities, capped off with the homemade butter and cake auction on stage.
It’s a political year and you can visit with candidates set up at their tents on the grounds.
In the afternoon, the sack race at 12:30 p.m.; Pike National Bank’s mooing contest at 1:30 p.m. and the watermelon eating contest at 1:45, serve to set up the remainder of the afternoon’s contests
Kids will start registering turtles at 2 p.m. for the Rotary Club turtle races at 3 p.m. The bubble gun blowing contest at 2:45 precedes the well-known turtle races.
Walthall Chamber of Commerce draws for prizes in the town’s Spring Fling at 5:30. Plenty of live entertainment is featured on-stage through the day, sponsored by Walthall General Hospital with performances by Mae Woodard beginning at 9:15 a.m., the McGinnis Family at 11 a.m., Lou Ellen Stout at 1:45 p.m., Clear Creek Band at 4 p.m. Then, at 6 p.m. on stage is The Bridge Band. At nightfall it’s Citizens Bank fireworks display at 9 p.m. on the softball field area.
In addition to the above contests and stage activities, the festival features the Farm, Bureau Federation’s petting farm for kids, PNB’s Cream Pitcher Fun Farm featuring free games; an antique engine and tractor show, offering a look at farm tractors and engines from the past; Walthall Emergency Management’s ham radio operation; and a street rod/car show for auto buffs.
Visitors can venture a guess on the weight of a cow for cash prizes from Livestock Producers and the Walthall Dairy Assn., while Ginn’s Gunworks displays vintage bicycles.
Always popular with kids–The Southland Express train ride and Tylertown Fire Dept. and AAA Ambulance will display firefighting, rescue and medical emergency equipment.
Alcorn Extension Service returns with a shiitake mushroom growing demonstration.
As always, arts and crafts vendors will have booths at the festival, lots of food and concessions are available from local church groups.
The Dairy Alliance helps sponsor the all day festival, along with The Bob and Lee Wood-Hote Walthall County Enhancement Fund. The Walthall Chamber of Commerce and over 50 volunteers work each year to make the festival possible.