Brown Making Plans for Fall Festival

Source: Jacksonville Journal-Courier

Brown County’s annual fall festival is back this year after a pandemic-related year off.

The festival is set for Sept. 24-25 in Mount Sterling, with nonprofit organization Action Brown County helping organize the event.

The festival will kick off Sept. 24 with an alumni party from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Brown County fairgrounds, a site that allows more space for parking, said Allix Reich, Action Brown County board chair.

“Our whole committee is very excited to have a festival again this year,” Reich said. “Our local residents are excited to get out and about and experience something again.”

The late start for the alumni party is tied to Brown County High School’s football homecoming game that same night in town.

The high school’s homecoming theme will be “vintage video games,” and businesses and organizations are invited to participate in a scarecrow contest using that theme, Reich said.

Admission for the alumni party is $10 at the Fair Expo building and includes a complimentary Koozie bar that opens at 8:30 p.m.

Live Music Friday for the alumni party features Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters.

Events on Sept. 25 will be more family-friendly, with Kids Zone activities — including games, art and face painting — running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the American Legion building.

Vendors also will be set up around Brown County Courthouse during that same time.

A car, bike, truck and tractor show will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the courthouse.

Other activities include the Little Miss and Mister pageant at 11 a.m., a showcase by a local dance company, and live music by Esther Moore, Darren Seckman and John Lane.

A baking contest will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Sept. 25 at the American Legion building. Entry fee is $1 per item entered and no pre-registration is required.

Awards for the baking contest and car, bike, truck and tractor show will be announced at 3 p.m. Sept. 25 at the courthouse.

A cake walk at 3:30 p.m. at the American Legion building will follow the awards announcement. Donated cake walk items can be brought to the American Legion anytime between 9 a.m and 3 p.m. Tickets for the cake walk are three for $1.

The last event of the night for the fall festival is Cruise Night, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m. The cruise route starts at Brown County High School, takes a lap by a nursing home and returns to the high school.