The Arnold Days Festival is back after being canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 49th annual event will be held tonight through Sunday at Arnold City Park on Bradley Beach Road off Jeffco Boulevard and will feature a trivia night, a parade, live music, children’s activities, a car show, fireworks displays, carnival rides, vendor booths, concessions and more.
A trivia night will be held tonight, Sept. 16, and then festivities will resume from 5-11 p.m. Friday. Saturday’s activities will begin at 7 a.m. and run through 11 p.m., and the fun will continue from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Parks and Recreation Department staff, who are organizing the festival, said they expect large crowds.
“From our posts online about Arnold Days, we are seeing a lot of interest,” Parks and Recreation supervisor Teresa Kohut said. “We are getting 3,000 to 4,000 views, so I think there is pretty good interest. I think everybody is excited for it.”
Parks and Recreation Director Dave Crutchley said the city’s Independence Day event held in the park on a rainy day in late June had a big turnout, so he’s expecting the same for Arnold Days.
The fourth annual Arnold Days Trivia Night will be held tonight in a new location – a large tent set up over the park’s former tennis courts in Arnold City Park.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the 10-round trivia contest will begin at 7 p.m.
It costs $10 a person to play in the event, which is sponsored by Leader Publications. Those who are not part of an organized team may show up and be placed on a team.
“The new location will give players a preview of what to expect in the park throughout the weekend, and the trivia contest is always a fun and competitive event,” Peggy Scott, Leader assistant publisher, said.
Parade
The event also will include the annual Arnold Days Parade, which will begin at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Fox C-6 Service Center, 849 Jeffco Blvd., and end at the park.
The stretch of Jeffco Boulevard between the service center and park will be closed starting at 12:30 p.m. and will remain closed until all participants have entered the park.
This year’s parade theme is “How do you volunteer?” and will celebrate the city’s various nonprofit organizations.
The Arnold Food Pantry has been named the parade grand marshal.
Both the Fox and Seckman high school marching bands will perform.
In addition, at least 35 groups have signed up to take part in the parade. A parade entry contest will be held, and the winning entry will win a $100 prize.
Tents
Friday night’s festivities will begin at 5 p.m., but those who rent a VIP tent will have access to the grounds an hour earlier.
It costs $200 to rent a tent for either Friday or Saturday. The 16 tents available for rent previously had been used to provide covering for vendors at the Farmers Market before a pavilion to house them was built in the park.
The rental fee also includes two VIP parking spots and 10 free drink tickets that may be used at the Arnold Jaycees’ beer booth.
The tents will be set up along a fence line near Bradley Beach Road and a tree line behind where most people watch the fireworks show, which will be launched from barges in the park’s lake.
In addition to the trivia night that will be held in the large tent, several other activities will be held there throughout the weekend.
On Friday, a Princess Razzle Dazzle photo session will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. under the tent, allowing children to get a free photo taken with Dream Time Princess Events performers decked out in full princess garb, Kohut said.
The large tent will be home to a vendor and craft show from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Live music
The Joe Dirt band, which plays classic rock, is scheduled to perform between 7-11 p.m. Friday. The band is a longtime favorite at Arnold Days.
The Bitter Pill band, which plays hard rock, alternative, dance and classic rock tunes, will play from 7-11 p.m. Saturday, and Dirty Money, which plays classic rock, 90s rock, funk, pop and country music, will perform from 4-8 p.m. Sunday.
Children’s activities
■ On Saturday, the fun will start with a children’s fishing tournament at the Arnold City Park lake. There is no charge to participate in the tournament, which is open to children 12 and younger.
Registration for the tournament, sponsored by the Arnold Optimist Club, will start at 7 a.m. at the Pecan Pavilion near the lake.
The St. Louis Longbeards, a chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, will be at the fishing tournament to loan fishing poles and tackle to those who need them.
Prizes will be awarded to participants.
■ The Longbeards group will offer free children’s activities, like making a birdhouse, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bandstand Pavilion.
■ A bubble extravaganza will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday and from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday in front of the main stage.
“It will be bubbles all over the place,” said Ajsa Hukic, a Parks and Recreation supervisor.
Car show
Also on Saturday the annual Arnold Police Officers Association Car and Bike Show will be held, with registration from 8 a.m. to noon and judging starting at noon. Awards will be handed out at 4 p.m.
Its costs $20 to enter the show, and most of the money raised will help fund the annual Arnold Shop with a Cop event that is held during the Christmas season.Other activities
■ The Arnold Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday.
■ A series of free competitions will be held Saturday at the main stage, beginning with a shoe box race at 4 p.m.
■ Then, an eating contest for adults, called the “Car Hop Special,” will be held at 5 p.m., challenging participants to eat as many hot dogs, hamburgers and shakes as possible.
■ A cupcake-eating contest for children will follow at 6 p.m.
■ A “Grasp for Glory” pitcher-holding contest will be held at 6:30 p.m.
■ On Sunday, a corn hole tournament will be held at 3:30 p.m.
■ Carnival rides will operate Friday, Saturday and Sunday. At the event, tickets will cost $3 each. Discounted tickets are available until 4 p.m. Friday at the Arnold Recreation Center, 1695 Missouri State Road, with eight tickets for $16.
■ Fireworks will be held at about 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. However, if either of those shows is rained out, a makeup fireworks display will be held at about 8 p.m. Sunday.
The city of Arnold has budgeted $75,000 for the festival.
Free parking will be available in Arnold City Park. People are prohibited from bringing coolers, alcohol, glass bottles or personal tents to the event.
For more information, call the Arnold parks department at 636-282-2380.