Both young and old enjoy annual Gravette fall festival

GRAVETTE — After a rainy Friday night and Saturday morning, it was perfect timing when the sun appeared Saturday afternoon shortly before Gravette’s annual fall festival began at 4 p.m. Festival organizers had been hoping the weather would be more favorable and they might even see some sunshine.

It turned out to be perfect weather for the town’s fall festival, trunk-or-treat event and chili festival, held in the front parking lot at Ozarks Community Hospital. Sponsored by the Greater Gravette Chamber of Commerce, the event attracted a large crowd, both young and old, many of whom were dressed in costume.

There was fun for everyone. Youngsters enjoyed painting pumpkins and having their faces painted. Many chose to bounce in the giant inflatables or soar on the trampoline bungee setup. They could pet several small animals in the petting zoo, shoot a bow and arrow at the archery booth or play a number of lively games.

Adults could shop for gifts or seasonal souvenirs at several vendors’ booths, buy food from an on-site food truck or enjoy the free hot dogs, chips and drinks provided during the evening. A karaoke machine provided background music for the event.

There were 17 participants in the trunk-or-treat event, including area businesses, organizations, churches and family groups. Many offered candy treats while others passed out pencils, plastic trinkets and glow sticks.

Four teams entered the popular chili cookoff at the event. Festival guests could buy tasting cups for $1 and sample each of the chili entries. Tasters then voted for the best pot of chili and for the best-decorated booth.

Scott House, of Pea Ridge, won both awards with his Lumpy’s Chili. House explained that he is an over-the-road truck driver for Don’s Cold Storage and his CB handle is Lumpy. His booth decorations featured several toy semi trucks and a display of trophies he has won in past chili cookoffs. He received two trophies as well as a $100 cash prize for best chili and $50 for the bestdecorated booth.

Other entries in the chili cookoff were Lexie Hoggard, with her recipe for Dale’s Chili; Marty Harrison, of Siloam Springs, with his Steam Punk Chili; and Kristin Mullikin with her Knock Your Boots Off! Chili. Both Hoggard and Harrison work at Ozarks Community Hospital and Mullikin is a stay-at-home mom with three children and says she does plenty of cooking there.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Amalia Boyd, (right), of Huntsville, smiles for the camera after getting a cupcake painted on her face by Elaina Whiting, Miss Teen Gravette. The face-painting activity was one of the popular features of Saturday night’s Gravette fall festival, which also offered various games for the kids. Amalia was in town visiting her former bus driver.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Young Rayce Ruiz, 7, of Gravette, dressed as a skeleton, poses beside another skeleton he encountered in a cage during the trunkor-treat event at the Gravette fall festival Saturday night. Rayce was one of many trick-or-treaters who enjoyed the activity at the festival. Many, both young and old, were dressed in costume.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Several youngsters lean over the pumpkins and focus on their artwork during the pumpkin painting activity at Saturday night’s Gravette fall festival. The activity was enjoyed by all ages as a mother (left) helps her daughter with the painting. Youngsters could also have their faces painted and participate in various games.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Elizabeth Becker, of Bella Vista, watches as a young trick-or-treater selects a candy treat from the giant mouth on the face at her family’s trunk during Saturday’s Gravette fall festival. The Becker family’s trunk was one of 17 offering candy and other prizes during the trunk-or-treat event. The festival also featured a petting zoo and games.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND A pretty young trick-or-treater with a big bow in her hair stops by the Grand Savings Bank Grandyland trunk to select some candy from its big pink bucket. Mandy Carnahan and Jeannette Westrick were working the booth, decorated with several large candies, at Saturday night’s Gravette fall festival trunk or treat event.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Koree Vigue, 4, Mason Murphy, 5, and Logan Hanson, 5, peer through the bars of John E. Tracy American Legion post’s jail cell at Saturday night’s Gravette fall festival. Mason waves and none of the three seemed very concerned, knowing their grandpa, James Brooks, is a member of the Gravette post and would soon rescue them.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND A young trick-or-treater looks over the goodies in her bucket before selecting a treat from the Gravette Church of Christ trunk at Saturday night’s Gravette fall festival. Linda Martin, of Decatur, and Sarah Conn, were working the church’s trunk during the trunk-ortreat event, and Sarah was enjoying one of the free hot dogs provided.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND Amber Beeman (right), of Gravette, dressed as the tooth fairy, smiles for the camera while her best friend, Rachel Jones, dressed as a hippie from the ’60s, offers candy to one of the young trick-or-treaters during the trunk or treat event at Saturday’s Gravette fall festival. Jones is working at the Peace, Love and Coffee trunk.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND A young archer studies the target carefully to see where his arrow landed after taking his turn at the archery booth at the Gravette fall festival Saturday night. The archery booth was one of the more popular activities at the festival, which also included trampoline bungee jumping, inflatables, games and a petting zoo.

Westside Eagle Observer/SUSAN HOLLAND A young lady approaches to investigate Gooey Louie’s snotty nose at the Gravette fall festival Saturday night. Most youngsters were reluctant to touch the green, slimy stuff oozing from the giant nose, saying it was too gross. Working the booth are Nicolle Taylor and Tessa Murphy, who work in the OCH surgery department.