The 29th annual Twin City Firecracker Extravaganza, to be held Friday and Saturday, June 23-24, will include rides, live music, fireworks and all the usual fun, organizers say, but also a tasty addition – a barbecue competition.
Festivities will be from 4-11 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at West City Park in Festus.
“This year, on Friday and Saturday on the fairgrounds, there will be a barbecue competition,” said Larry Crites, the Festus park superintendent. “There will be 30 to 40 teams competing.”
Spectators may purchase barbecue from some of the competitors who pay to be vendors at the festival, said Barb Lowry, Festus director of sports and marketing events.
“There will be a few of the competitors vending food,” Lowry said. “For the most part, you can walk around and talk to the competitors about what they’re doing.”
The barbecue competition is actually the second of three to be held this year at West City Park, all of them funded with a $35,000 Festus Tourism Commission grant. The first took place in April and the third will occur in October. In each, top barbecue chefs from far and near compete for cash prizes.
Lowry applied for the grant and Festus is partnering with the St. Louis BBQ Society to conduct the competitions.
The Firecracker Extravaganza barbecue competition offers a total purse of $7,000, while the April and October contests each offer a total purse of $5,000.
Other activities
A variety of other entertainment will be held during the Firecracker Extravaganza, Crites said.
Carnival rides and games will be held from 4-11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. Craft and food booths will be open from 4-11 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.
“We have a new music group (from 7-11 p.m.) on Saturday night, the Rough Ryders,” Crites said. “They play a little of everything. They should appeal to a wide range of people.”
All Mixed Up will return to the festival, playing from 7-11 p.m. Friday. That group also plays a wide range of music, Crites said.
Performances are scheduled for the West City Park stage.
Fireworks displays are scheduled for 9:45 p.m. each night.
“I’d like to remind everyone the music will resume after the fireworks and go to 11 p.m.,” Crites said. “If the Saturday night fireworks get rained out, the display will be moved to Sunday night at 9:45.”
More Saturday events
■ Classic Car & Truck Show on the stage field, beginning at 8 a.m., with awards at 1 p.m. Call 636-931-2612 for more information.
■ 17th Annual Kids’ Hooked on Fishing Derby, for kids 2 to 14, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Fredbird will appear at 9 a.m. The registration deadline is June 22.
■ 15th Annual Seniors’ Hooked on Fishing Derby, for those 55 and older, starting at 10 a.m. It includes drawings, prizes, food and drinks. The registration deadline is June 22.
■ Washer Tournament, sign-up at 10 a.m. and play starting at 11 a.m. Call 314-420-3853 for more information.
■ Bingo, 4-7 p.m., at the Lakeside Pavilion. Sponsored by American Legion Post 253.
■ Little Mr. & Miss Firecracker Contest, for ages 2 to 7, at 5 p.m. The registration deadline is June 16 and is limited to the first 20 kids. Sponsored by Shawn Pemberton, Farmers Insurance of Festus.
Parking will cost $2, with the fees to benefit the Friends of the Festus Parks.
The event is sponsored by the cities of Festus and Crystal City, the Festus Park Board, the Festus Parks Department, the Friends of the Festus Parks, Leader Publications and KTJJ/KJFF.
All entry forms are available at the Festus Public Works Building, 950 N. Fifth Street.
For more information, call Festus Public Works at 636-937-6646.