DECATUR — After eight months of planning, the 63rd Annual Decatur Barbecue, sponsored by the Decatur Chamber of Commerce, kicked off at 7 a.m. Aug. 6 at Edmiston Park and continued throughout the day and into the evening at Veterans Park in Decatur.
An early morning thunderstorm brought heavy rain and lightning to the Decatur area about thirty minutes before the start of the opening event at Edmiston Park. The Fun Run, which included 2K, 5K and 10K runs, started on time in spite of the storm. Twenty-two runners, 5 to 60-plus, participated in the event. Crossing the soggy finish line first was Decatur's own Tyler Riddle, running in the 5K event.
Rain also threatened to cancel the Decatur Barbecue parade. However, the skies cleared about 20 minutes before the scheduled lineup time and it was a go. Lasting about 15 minutes, the parade began at Decatur City Park and snaked its way down Main St. to Veterans Park. A crowd of more than 100 watched the special event unfold as fire trucks from Decatur, Gravette and Sulphur Springs, with sirens blazing, announced the parade's arrival.
Master of ceremonies for the parade and evening event was John Hussman, whose deep, rich, magical voice kept the crowds excited throughout the day.
The grand marshal for this year's event was Clarence Amos, a long-time Decatur resident and Korean War veteran. He was accompanied by several of his fellow veterans riding in the back of two retired military Humvee trucks provided by the Lowell Police Department.
Following the grand marshal were the three reigning tiny tots and the 2016 contestants. They were followed by the five Miss Decatur Barbecue contestants.
Because of the rain, there was only one float entered in this year's event. The "Fisher of Men" float was provided by the First Baptist Church of Decatur and featured some of the church parishioners riding in a boat.
The Decatur Barbecue moved to Veterans Park for the 12th Decatur Barbecue car show. Fifteen cars and trucks were on display during the five-hour event which ended with the awards ceremony at 2 p.m.
The chicken, a Decatur Barbecue favorite, was provided by Crystal Lake Farms. Around 20 volunteers worked on the chicken crew, flipping racks and applying barbecue sauce. Work began at 8 a.m. and, by noon, people were lining up at the chicken shack for a piece of this legendary barbecued goodness.
A tent provided by Simmons Foods gave barbecue goers a place to sit down and enjoy their dinner and escape the afternoon sun.
The evening began with the National Anthem performed by Faith Fritch. Then it was time for the Miss Decatur Barbecue and Tiny Tots contests. Five young women vied for the Miss Decatur Barbecue crown this year. They included Sara Garner from Fayetteville, Holyn Fredricks from Gentry, Alicia Long from Centerton, Whitney Farley from Jay, Okla., Kendall Yarbough from Gravette and Kayla Jacobs from Centerton. In the end there could only be one winner and the 2016 Miss Decatur Barbecue crown went to Sara Garner. She will now go on to compete in the Miss Benton County Fair competition this week.
The Mister and Miss Decatur Barbecue Tiny Tots contestants stole the show once again. Five boys and six girls took center stage to answer questions posed by emcee John Hussman. Some of the contestants told jokes and sang their favorite songs while one performed a cheer routine. After the judges' scores were tabulated, it was time to announce the winners. The 2016 Mister Decatur Barbecue Tiny Tots went to Eli Whitaker, and the Miss Decatur Barbecue Tiny Tots went to Jazzi Lovitt.
The main event, the concert, featured rising country music star Drew Baldridge. Baldridge performed a mix of his current hits from his newly-released recording "Dirt on Use" and a few hits from George Strait and other country music legends. He had barbecue goers singing and dancing around the park for one full hour of country music goodness.
The rain held down attendance for this year's event. But thanks to the combined efforts of Justin Lovitt, chamber president, and the Decatur Chamber of Commerce membership, the hard work paid off in the smiles and laughter which occurred throughout the event. And the 63rd Annual Decatur Barbecue would not be possible without the many generous sponsors.
"I would like to thank all the sponsors for making the barbecue a big success," said Lovitt. " I know it wouldn't have worked without their support. Thank you!"
General News on 08/10/2016