Decatur Barbecue marks 65th year
DECATUR — The tradition of good food, good entertainment and good, clean fun continues as the Decatur Chamber of Commerce presents the 65th Annual Decatur Barbecue celebration Aug. 4 at Veterans Park in Decatur.
This year the Barbecue is about traditions, about history and about community. The theme of this year’s Barbecue is “Then and Now.”
But the Decatur Barbecue is more than community; it is about families and friends. It is about a group of people in a small northwest Arkansas community coming together to make the impossible possible, and Decatur lives on.
The Barbecue was founded in 1953 by Lloyd Peterson and the Decatur Development Corporation as a way of thanking the many Peterson Poultry employees and townspeople for their support through the darkest hours of this little town, then with a population of 386.
When Simmons moved its poultry operations from Decatur to Siloam Springs in the early 1950s, the town of Decatur was left without its number one employer. Little by little, the townspeople began moving out of Decatur in search of meaningful employment.
Then Peterson, who already had an established growing operation, convinced some of Decatur’s leading businessmen to purchase the old Simmons processing plant, and soon the city of Decatur began a revitalization that continues today.
From the first chicken served hot off the grill in 1953 to the final chord struck by the Reeves Brothers in 2017, the traditions that surfed the waves of time continue to bind this community in spirit and in brotherhood through the Decatur Barbecue.
The Decatur Barbecue begins with a little walk in the park and a run along the streets of northwest Decatur. The starter’s pistol fires at 7 a.m., beginning the 5K, 10K and Fun Runs at the Edmiston Park concession stand.
Moving down the hill is one of the old-time traditions at the Barbecue, the kids’ games. The old-fashion three-legged race, sack race and bean-bag toss are just a few games returning this year. But one tradition of the early Barbecue was inspired by a story written by one of this country’s most celebrated storytellers, Samuel Clemens, commonly known as Mark Twain.
His first short story, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” set in motion one of the Barbecue’s most popular kids’ games during the early years, the frog race. The decline in the frog population in the area led to a lack of interest in the contest in the last two years. But if enough entries come in during the kids’ games, that long-lost tradition could find new life as the frogs head for the finish line.
Back by popular demand is the Decatur Barbecue Classic and Antique Car show. Adopted as a part of the Barbecue in 2004, the car show attracts antique cars from the Model A Ford and Chevy Bel Airs to muscle cars like the classic Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. For pickup fans, a wide variety of antiques and custombuild jobs will be on display. The show begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m., with the awards ceremony immediately following the show.
The afternoon festivities begin with the opening ceremony at 12 p.m. in Veterans Park. Alex Savage will sing the national anthem, followed by Justin White from First Baptist Church of Decatur delivering the opening prayer. The ceremony will close with a history of the Decatur Barbecue from Emily Tharp
Every hour, beginning at noon, the city of Decatur and the Decatur Historical Commission will give away a bag full of goodies to the person who can answer a history question about Decatur and the Barbecue.
The parade will begin its lineup at 1 p.m. in Old City Park. At 1:30 p.m. the sirens from the Decatur Police and Fire Department will lead the procession. This years’ parade theme, “Then and Now,” tells the story of the early Barbecue and Decatur itself. Anyone wishing to enter a float or make the onemile hike down Main Street may contact Brad Clayton at 479-586-3223.
The Stratosphere Brothers, featuring JC Kaufman and Travis Duncan, open this year’s concert, beginning at 6 p.m.
The Decatur Barbecue will end this year with a fantastic fireworks display sponsored by McKee Foods. The display begins at 9:30 p.m. following the Mo Pitney concert.
The Decatur Barbecue has been a tradition of this community for 65 years. More than just a simple celebration, the Barbecue is about community pride, coming together to help others, about family and friends, about the simple things in life. All these elements together make up the very fabric that is Decatur.