Country Days festival begins Thursday
FARMINGTON– This year’s Farmington Country Day’s Queen Pageant has 13 contestants. The event will be held Thursday evening at the Centene Center.
Pageant Director Jessica Hampton said this year’s contestants are from Farmington, North County and Central high schools, as well as one home schooled contestant. The candidates include Celeste Blum, Paige Charboneau, Kylie Fincher, Kelly Freeman, Abigael Heberlie, Katie Harrington, Briar Hartrup, Devyn Kennon, Madison McMillian, Mallory Moore, Alicen Skinner, Sabrina Slaughter and Carlee Thomure.
Hampton said the pageant is not like any other pageant. It allows the contestants to break down the barriers and the girls often become lifelong friends.
“Every year the girls come in thinking bad things about some of the other girls. After spending all this time with them they come to find out they are actually not what they thought they were and some of the girls have become lifelong friends,” said Hampton.
On the Farmington Country Days website, farmingtoncountrydays.com, there is a “meet the candidates” page..
Hampton said the pageant started out to help the participants with scholarships for college and to help them gain self esteem, poise, networking, people skills and other skills they will need in their future.
The pageant began seven years ago when some of the Chamber of Commerce board members wanted to get the younger community involved. They asked Hampton to champion the project because of her ties to the chamber and past pageant experience.
She wanted to take the pageant experiences she had — both the positive and negative — and make the Miss Country Days Queen Pageant into a character building event. The pageant is meant to build confidence, build them up for the future and teach them about the old fashioned ways.
“When I was growing up I had to use ‘yes ma’am, no ma’am’, that’s what we want to remind them here,” said Hampton. She added they want to focus on the opportunity for the contestants to grow.
Past Country Days Queen winners are: 2007 – Jessica Standfus, 2008 – Alex Pannett, 2009 – Molly Barnes, 2010 – Chelsey Bridgeman, 2011 – Molly Eye, and 2012 – Allyssa Welch.
The pageant will be Thursday at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The official Country Days weekend will begin with the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. on Friday at the Long Park gazebo downtown.
The concert lineup this year will include a double header which begins Friday night with the Old Southern Moonshine Revival and then a show by the Jacob Martin Band. Saturday night Angie Johnson and Brett Eldredge will follow Route 67 on the Country Days mainstage in Long Park.
Other events throughout the weekend include:
Friday
• Activities will kick off Friday morning with the KREI Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at the Long Park Gazebo. This is the kick off the Country Days weekend with music and prayer.
• First State Community Bank’s Famous Hot Dog and Soda Cart will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at E. Columbia St. (in front of bank). They will have delicious hot dogs and soda which are sold for a charitable donation. Live music will be by The Simpletons from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• New Era Bank will have a Cotton Candy Stand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Ozarks Federal Savings and Loan Lemonade will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of Ozarks Federal Savings and Loan. They will have free lemonade and popsicles.
• The Printing Co. will have Snow Cones from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their office on Columbia Street.
• US Bank Kettle Corn and Drinks will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at US Bank.
• At 5 p.m. the concessions vendors open, amusement rides open at East Columbia Street and pony rides open in Long Park.
• The Blue Star Saloon Beer Garden will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight in Long Park. Adults may enjoy the beer garden Friday afternoon and evening. Please enjoy responsibly.
• Saints Pub and Grill will be open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the St. Joseph School Lawn. St. Joseph Church Knights of Columbus will once again offer beer and food for sale on their patio.
• The All Star Talent Show Semi-Finals will begin at 5:30 p.m. with contestant sign in and performances at 6 p.m. in the Long Park Gazebo. There will be 15 youth and 15 adults who will perform one song with the band Route 67 in front of judges. The top five contestants from both categories will advance to the final round on June 1.
• Little Caesar’s Moonlight Bike Ride will begin at 10:30 p.m. The ride begins at Little Caesars on Karsch Blvd. Adults and children can enjoy a late evening bike ride. All bikes must have lights and children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information call Pam Inman at 573-756-0900.
Saturday
• The Edward Jones “Invest in Yourself” Fun Run/Walk will begin Saturday morning with check-in and same day registration at 5:45 a.m. One mile start time is at 7 a.m. and the 5 mile run/ 2 mile walk start time is at 7:30 a.m. It will begin at Carleton Street between St. Joseph Gym and St. Paul Lutheran School.
• First State Community Bank’s Sand Bank will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at E. Columbia St. (in front of bank). Kids 10 and under dig for money in front of FSCB’s main branch.
• Food concessions open and the arts and craft fair opens at 9 a.m.
• First State Community Bank’s Diaper Derby will begin at 9 a.m. at E. Columbia St. (in front of bank). This is for babies one year old and younger, pre-register at FSCB by 8:45 a.m. special prizes are given for best decorated diaper. To pre-register visit First State Community Bank main branch or call Crystal Boyer at 573-756-4547.
• The Mineral Area Heritage Antique Tractor Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Antique tractors will be on display for viewing until 4 p.m. There will be kids pedal tractor races throughout the day. The tractor show will be held on Ste. Genevieve Avenue between Carleton and Long Streets across from Long Park.
• The Country Days Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Carleton Street between Ste. Genevieve and Liberty Street. Registration for vehicles begins at 10 a.m., dash plaques will be given to first 100 entries. Suggested $10 vehicle registration will be donated to St. Paul Lutheran School.
• The McDonalds Country Days Parade will begin at 10 a.m. and wind through downtown Farmington.
• Country Days Quilt Show, Tea Room and Bake Sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Farmington Presbyterian Church on Cayce and Columbia Streets. This event is free to the public. There will be gospel singing on the lawn at 1 p.m.
• Amusement rides open and pony rides open at 10 a.m.
• Blue Star Saloon Beer Garden will be open from 12 p.m. to midnight in the Blue Star Memorial Area – Long Park. Adults may enjoy the beer garden Saturday afternoon and evening.
• Saints Pub and Grill will be open from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the St. Joseph School Lawn. St. Joseph Church Knights of Columbus will once again offer beer and food for sale on their patio.
• Talent Show Finals will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Long Park Gazebo. The talent show finalists compete for a chance to open for the headliner on the Country Days Main Stage on Saturday.
• The Little Miss and Master winners will be named at 5 p.m. at the Long Memorial Park gazebo.
• Eric Ziegler will perform on the Country Days Main Stage at 5:30 p.m. in Long Park.
• Route 67 will perform 7 p.m. on the Country Days Main Stage in Long Park. Back by popular demand, Route 67 will get our Country Days Main Stage rolling with their mix of Country Music with Southern Rock, and Oldies from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Hear their music at route67band.com.
• Headliners Angie Johnson and Brett Eldridge will take the Country Days Main Stage at 8 p.m. For more on Country Days concerts go to farmingtoncountrydays.com.
Sunday
• St. Paul Lutheran Church will have their service from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. in Long Memorial Park.
• Arts and crafts fair opens at 9 a.m.
• Food concessions open at 10 a.m.
• Amusement rides open at noon. This is a chance to take advantage of all-you-can-ride Sunday with the special all day pass available at ride ticket booth.
• The King Family Band will perform high energy, award winning gospel favorites from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Long Memorial Park gazebo.
Maridee Lawson is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 756-8927 or mlawson@dailyjournalonline.com.
