Light turnout but still a great day!

— Though attendance may have been down a bit compared to last year, Gentry’s annual fall festival was still an enjoyable day for the many who came out for the special event.

Heavy rains — more than five inches in the two days before the festival — and cooler temperatures may have kept some away. Even with the sunshine on Saturday, the grass in the park remained soggy. Cooler temperatures also made jackets the norm for most in attendance. Other events in the area could have also played a part in the lower attendance.

But those who came out had little time for a dull moment. There were shows, contests and activities for all.

The Show Your Ride Car Show again featured a good number and variety of cars, pickups and motorcycles. Visitors to the park could take them all in without leaving the sidewalk. A walk around the circle was all that was needed.

On the west side of the park, on the end of J.R. Bever Street, two teams competed to pull a fire truck, with the winning team — the Gentry High School junior class, by edging out the runner-up team from Cornerstone Baptist Church — earning a cash prize for a team-designated charity.

The burn-out contest featured more than a half dozen cars and pickup trucks with drivers willing to burn rubber and make black smoke. The one with the most impressive smoke was chosen as winner.

On the park stage throughout the afternoon and evening were talent contest acts, followed by singers Meagan White, Kyla Horton and music from Blast from the Past.

Pumpkin painting, camel rides, a petting zoo, old tractors and a hay-rack ride, inflatable rides, food booths and other games and activities were a part of the day. Crowds gathered round as brave contestants competed for the honor of consuming the most hot wings in the chicken-wing-eating contest.

Falling from the sky and then landing in the park under canopy chutes at two different times were skydivers from Skyranch Skydive.

Uptown, at the library, the annual quilt show continued in full swing, with 46 quilts on display in the community room.

At the high school, pageants were held in the afternoon, including pageants for young children and the more traditional Miss and Young Miss Octoberfest competitions.

Winning in the Tug-a-Fire Truck Contest were: the champions — Gentry High School Junior Class — Joe Savage, Matt Lee, Brian Sixkiller, Shawn Johnson, Jessica Hammond, Courtney Milsap, Courtney Folker and Kelsey Whitten. Coming in second was the team from Cornerstone Baptist Church in Cherokee City. Team members include: Trenton Tisdale, Rachel Tisdale, Sarah Tisdale, Rebecca Tisdale, Mason Beck, Ethan Barnes, Derek Wood, Hannah Sykes and Sierra Smith.

Results of the pageants and other fall-festival events will be published when they become available.

News, Pages 1 on 10/14/2009