The sights and sounds of the fall festival season are about to begin. Several cities throughout the county will hold their annual events this year after mostly being cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
Kicking off the annual events are daylong festivals in Freeman and Archie on Sept. 18. A parade at 11 a.m. highlights the annual Freeman Homecoming. Along with food and vendors there will be Bingo and live music. The event ends at 4 p.m.
Archie’s Fall Festival will include a parade beginning at 10:45 a.m. Also popular is the Tiny Tot contest. Along with vendors the festival also includes a variety of entertainment as well as the frog jumping contest.
Also on Sept 18, canines will take the center stage in City Park in a Pawpalooza event. A 3K walk/run starts at 9 a.m. with a number of contests for furry friends planned until 1 p.m. Additionally, there will be food trucks and vendors on hand. Money raised goes to the city’s animal shelter and dog park.
A very special treat is planned for fans of television’s “The Dukes of Hazard” on Sept. 25 and Luke Duke himself, Tom Wopat, is going to be on the Harrisonville Square signing autographs. A replica of the General Lee car is scheduled to be on hand for photo opportunities. Wopat’s appearance is being sponsored by Attorney Chris Benjamin.
He will be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon at the Harrisonville Area Chamber of Commerce office. Beginning at 4 p.m. Wopat and his band will be performing at the Peculiar Winery.
The Harrisonville Chamber will again be sponsoring its Log Cabin Festival the first weekend of October. The festival will have something for everyone, from a carnival, children’s events, to live bands performing in the beer garden on both Friday and Saturday nights. The parade is Saturday morning and the square will be lined with vendors and participants in the business expo.
Live entertainment will be featured on the main stage on the north side of the square and Saturday morning will include the farmers’ market.
Oct. 2 is also the day for Drexel’s annual Pumpkin Festival. There will be games, vendors and a number of other activities. A complete schedule is not available yet.