Neighbors Fest

By Kathryn Menue

EDITOR

The Village of Poplar Grove was a village full of fun for all ages on Saturday, June 18. The day celebrated the second annual Neighbors’ Fest, with fun beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the day and night.

The Village of Poplar Grove wanted to provide the community with a day where neighbors could “come together as a community for a day of fun.”

The special event also promised to celebrate a day dedicated to “family fun, food, music, fireworks, and more at Lions Park (231 Summit St. in Poplar Grove).”

Sports

The Neighbors’ Fest began with an active morning with a Village 5K Run, and baseball and softball games.

The 5K Run began with registration at 8:30 a.m., which prepared runners for the race beginning at 9 a.m. in Veteran’s Memorial Park off the corner of State and Main Streets. The race followed Long Prairie Trail beginning at the State Street east entrance and ending at the finish line at the Veteran’s Memorial Park Pavilion.

Runners submitted a $10 donation to compete in the race, with the proceeds going to park improvements throughout the village.

Runners were split into five different age categories with the winners in first through third place receiving awards after the races. The running categories included 12 to 18-year-olds, 19 to 26-year-olds, 27 to 35-year-olds, 36 to 46-year-olds and adults 47-years-old and older.

The 5K run also featured the Little Tikes Run for children under the age of 12. This run took place after the 5K run at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Sports fun was supposed to continue at Poplar Grove Lions Park with three-on-three basketball.

Unfortunately, the tournament was cancelled due to low turnout.

However, Neighbors Fest did feature baseball and softball games throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to make up for the lack of other sports.

Games

The Neighbors’ Fest also featured plenty of games for children and adults to enjoy.

North Boone Youth Sports and the North Boone Lions Club provided games for kids to play at 2 p.m., which lasted into the evening hours of the festival.

Corn husking, Cornhole, Dummy Boards, Dadhole, Doghouse, Baggo, Bag Toss, Bean Bag Toss, or whatever you call it was another fun-filled tournament offered at the second annual Neighbors’ Fest. The tournament began at 5 p.m. with an elimination bracket set-up like the three-on-three basketball tournament.

Food

After working up an appetite at the sporting events and games throughout the park, people could venture to one of the several concession stands, dine in the sponsorship tent (open from noon to 2 p.m.), or munch on some snow cones from the snow cone machine available to cool off patrons from the nearly 90 degree heat.

Kid Fun

Besides the sporting events and games, kids could also enjoy getting their faces painted in unusual and creative designs, play in the bouncy house, explore a helicopter from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., or try their luck with the dunk tank.

Other Activities

The Neighbors’ Fest also had the second annual talent show, which ran from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. After the variety show, the day began to wind down with a thank you announcement to the Village of Poplar Grove and a presentation of awards from the day’s events.

Music

A festival couldn’t be complete without family-friendly music to set the mood for the day. Beginning at noon, Neighbors Fest had music from DJ Rick and music from “The Scott Dubose Band” at 7 p.m.

Plus, Poplar Grove community members were treated to the musical talent of North Boone High School’s junior Kayla Seeber, last year’s talent show winner. Seeber performed the Star Spangled Banner before the end of the festival fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

 
 
 
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