Commission votes to provide funding for planned events
Two new events scheduled in FCity
The Forrest City Advertising and Promotion Commission this week agreed to support five upcoming events in Forrest City.
The requests were for annual events such as the Rumble on the Ridge, the Forrest City Christmas Parade and the Merry Market as well as two new events, the Delta Regional Food Tasting and Harvest Fest.
Commissioners Y.K. Patel and chairman Justin Reeves were absent from the meeting.
According to the request for support for the Rumble on the Ridge, submitted by Joey Astin, this year’s Rumble on the Ridge will be held Nov. 23, through Nov. 26 at Dwight Lofton Mustang Arena.
The request was for $32,000 in funding from to sponsor teams participating in the Rumble. Eight teams are expected to participate in the Rumble this year, according to the request for support.
The Forrest City Area Chamber of Commerce requested $4,500 from the commission for this year’s Forrest City Community Christmas Parade. According to the request, the funds will be used for advertising, plaques, trophies, banners, signs, printing, postage, judges, parade officials and band stipends, among other things. The request shows that this year’s parade will be held on Friday, Dec. 2.
Another request for support was submitted by Carla Nimocks with the Refresh organization. The group plans to hold its first food-tasting event, called "Oh Taste and See!" on Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Forrest City Civic Center. Nimocks, the facilitator of the event, wrote that Refresh has been in operation for four years. The group meets weekly to provide support for community members who have loved ones dealing with addiction issues.
According to Nimocks, Refresh previously sponsored a community 5K run/walk to raise awareness of the disease of addiction and to raise funds for the national organization Shatterproof. The group requested $4,100 for the foodtasting event for advertising and to purchase reusable bags with the event’s logo and the FC A&P Commission information printed on them.
The commission also received a request for support from the Junior Auxiliary of St. Francis County, in which the group requested $4,000 for its annual Merry Market.
According to the request, funds will be used to advertise
the event, to cover the rental fee for the Forrest City Civic Center and to provide breakfast and lunch for vendors.
The Junior Auxiliary of St. Francis County submitted in a second request for funding for its first Harvest Fest event to be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Civic Center. The group asked for $2,000 for seed money to assist with advertising, a petting zoo and other miscellaneous items.
Commissioners unanimously approved funding for all five requests during the meeting.