Reminisces From Years Of The Arkansas Apple Festival:

Editor’s Note: Russ Laycox wrote this remembrance at the request of the Enterprise-Leader.

Here it is again, the 41st Annual Arkansas Apple Festival.

Who would have thought in 1976 that this fledgling festival would remain resilient, successful, and robust? As this year’s renewal nears, festival committee members are scurrying about getting last minute tasks taken care of as the September 30 through October 2 festival fast approaches.

In actuality, the committee starts working as early as January. Committee chairs are committed to getting every facet of their responsibility in good order before the festival. The major reason for the festival being successful is the commitment Lincoln area citizens have given this event through the years.

Just as important is the great sponsors who donated to the festival. It costs money to put on an event like this and the festival has been very solvent thanks to them, plus the arts and crafts entry fee, and the small but helpful percentage received off of the food vendors’ sales. The City of Lincoln has always been a strong supporter of the festival and has provided help in many other ways.

First Festival

All festivals need a theme for their events and the founders of the event wisely chose apples as ours. Indelibly linked to the history of the Lincoln area are apples. In the mid 1800s and much of the 1900s apples had been the catalyst to a successful economy. Lincoln for many years was called the Apple Capitol of Arkansas. A wide range of types were grown and many of these apples went to Gerber Foods and other food processors.

The year of 1976 was this nation’s bi-centennial. When Ronnie Allen, Lloyd Slope, Lawrence Bullington and Boyce Davis met for coffee at Lorry’s Café on the square, they came to the conclusion that Lincoln should do something special for the bi-centennial. They came up with the idea of an annual Apple Festival. From there they held some public meetings and found that many people were excited about the idea.

With a federal grant to support bi-centennial activities and the eagerness of local participants, the Arkansas Apple Festival became a reality. This grant enabled us to build a gazebo in the middle of the park on the square.

There are many components in making a successful festival. A guiding principle for our festival was to conduct a three day event which brings good entertainment for families. That is why we have so many different activities. We also wanted an event that would help out local business people, as the great influx of people provided them extra customers.

Vendor Booths

Arts and crafts have always been the major draw for people around the state and from other states including Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, and Missouri. The lure is the outstanding arts and crafts on display, made by very talented artisans. Creativity is the hallmark of all the 100- plus crafts booths.

There are booths in the park that have perennially drawn repeat customers. Jeanne Helm’s apple butter is always asked about by many people and sells out each year. Near the many booths the community center houses the Kiwanis’ much loved food menu, corn bread and beans, and above all the apple dumplings with ice cream. Another popular booth is the Masons which has many types of apples for purchase by the bushel.

The longest line waiting for service is the apple slicing booth where you can get free apple slices. A dedicated group of men and women put the time and effort in to produce these treats and enable people to see an antique apple slicer and peeler in action.

In some of the festivals in the early years there used to be an apple auction. Individuals, restaurants, and companies would bid for a bushel and in particular the Grand Prize apples. Only apple growers in Arkansas could submit apples for the competition. The winning bushel always seemed to go higher than $500. One year a lady was bidding on the grand prize apples. It was a spirited bid … 3, then 325, and finally got up to 5, which is what she bid. She went over to claim her beautiful bushel of apples and handed the cashier $5.00. She did not realize that auctioneer Leon Tucker when he was inviting bids of 5, it was not dollars, it was 500 dollars. That lengthy bid had to be redone again … minus the lady. Apple production in Arkansas declined and the competition was eventually eliminated.

Miss Apple Harvest

The very first festival had a queen pageant and there were many Miss Apple Harvest pageants thereafter. Carol Swope, Willie Eneks, Lou Anne Bradley and the Lincoln Jaycettes conducted the pageant in its early years. The winner would go on to a national competition at Gettysburg, Penn.

Our first queen was the beautiful Sandy Samples and like all succeeding queens she is an intelligent and accomplished lady. Queens thereafter were Cindy Prince, Kathy Ronan, Samantha Bennett, Sandra Williams, Dana Kay Duggar, Deborah Adams, Rhonda Blaylock, Diane Maestri, Valerie Dee Brown, Stephanie Tatman, Shannon Stokes, Heather Hunnicutt, Michelle Dawn Lee, Stacy Dishner, Jennifer Dishner, Megan Von Gremp, Melonie McGarrah, Natalie Smith, Jenny Wierick, Lanae Moyer, Cassandra Haley, Ragan Renteria, Ginger Brown, Jennifer Underwood, Erin Colleen Angus, Brooke Matthews, Adrielle Churchill, Stephanie DeClerk, Rachel Howells, Lindsey Lee, Britney Haynes, Lindsey Chomiuk, and Taylor Mills.

The Lady Jaycettes were directors of the pageant, especially Carol Swope, until one Jaycette worked late and missed the Apple Festival Committee meeting when she was voted in as Apple Harvest Pageant Director. Rainy Laycox, my wife, retained this post for 25 years.

Rainy greatly enjoyed working with the wonderful, talented young ladies throughout those twenty-five years. She always worked to touch each contestant to help them realize their potential. Her queens were special but so were the many contestants who did not reach the crown.

Though Miss Apple Harvest was not a Miss America preliminary some queens went on to become Miss Arkansas, including Heather Hunnicutt, and Melonie McGarrah. Adrielle Churchill finished First Runner-up at Miss Arkansas twice, while Stephanie De Clerk was First Runner-up at Miss Arkansas. Brooke Matthews later became Miss Nebraska. Rhonda Blaylock became Miss Arkansas USA as did Valerie Dee Brown and Adrielle Churchill. First Runner-up Miss Apple Festival contestant Alyse Eady became Miss Arkansas. Michelle Lee went on to win Mrs. Arkansas and Lanae Moyer won Mrs. Oklahoma.

A virtual book could be written about the talents and achievements of all our contestants. They made the twenty-five years and after so full of precious memories.

In 1998, we decided to add an optional talent contest. The thought was to give those contestants who might compete in Miss America preliminaries the opportunity to practice their talent. It also gave some the ability to pick up some additional prize winnings.

The first year there were 9 contestants and what a competition it was. Ragan Renteria and Kara Floyd were so outstanding that judges had a tough decision. Ragan was proclaimed the winner and Kara first runner-up. Ragan went on to sing in many light operas. Kara has had a long and successful career as a professional singer and performer. She now performs as Kara Shaw and has been in light operas, movies, TV productions, and at concerts.

Unfortunately there is no pageant this year but the Apple Festival is working hard to find a director and a committee to assist that director for next year.

Festival Parade

The Apple Festival Parade on Saturday mornings has been a big favorite of all ages. Classic cars and classic tractors are big favorites of the crowd. Other favorites throughout the years have been the 32nd Degree Masons in clown suits riding madly around in their little cars, cowboys and cowgirls on horses, bands, police or fire trucks vehicles driving with their sirens going, many theme decorated floats, reigning pageant queens and local veterans groups.

Parades are fun but you have to have good people running them and dedicated workers. Dianna Payne is the current chairwoman of the parade and has done a good job. She gets some great assistance from Sarah Simmons and others. Carolyn McDonald did a wonderful job for several years.

The Parade Marshall is a special feature of each parade. This title is for people who have been a valuable part of the Lincoln area and/or have contributed much effort and time to the Apple Festival. This year’s Parade Marshall is Bryan Reed of Cane Hill. Mr. Reed owns the Apple Town store east of Lincoln, a favorite of many visitors to the Lincoln area. He has been associated with the apple industry for many years. His generous support for the Apple Festival goes back to its very inception.

Other Festival Features

A popular place during the festival is the concession court. Anyone with hunger pangs can find just about any style of food, be it barbecue, Chinese, Mexican, Cajun, hamburgers and hot dogs, dairy delights, all kinds of desserts, and much more.

A few years ago Tera Thompson came to the committee and suggested we have a youth talent contest. It sounded good so she was asked to put it together. The first contest was modest as