The community is invited to three events this weekend offering a variety activities in the downtown Poplar Bluff area.
The annual Iron Horse Festival will include live entertainment, children's games, food and craft vendors and more in conjunction with the Butler County Fair and the annual fall festival from John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.
"It's a family friendly event. Everyone is welcome, dogs and cats included," said Jerrica Fox, director of Downtown Poplar Bluff.
Fair events continue tonight, starting at 5 p.m. with a carnival at Ray Clinton Park, followed at 6 p.m. with a pageant at the Black River Coliseum and back to the park at 7 p.m. for a truck and tractor pull. Live music, including performances by the John D. Hale band, will close out the evening.
General admission to the fair is $5 Friday and Saturday, with additional ticket costs for special events.
There are no admission charges for the Iron Horse Festival or the VA fall festival, both of which will be held Saturday.
A car and motorcycle show will return to the festival this year, through the efforts of the VA. It will be begin at 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Coliseum.
One of two stages for live music will be set up here, with the second in the 200 block of Main Street.
An opening ceremony for the Iron Horse Festival will be held at 10 a.m. at the Main Street stage.
Main Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from Pine to Broadway for the festival. More than 65 food and craft vendors will be set up here. This includes a food court and beer tent in the US Bank parking lot.
A kids' zone will be set up in the downtown dog park area along the Black River, with bounce houses and games.
A dog show will be held in this area at noon, followed at 1 p.m. by judging for the car show in the Coliseum parking lot.
Also planned for Saturday are 5K and 10K races, with registration starting at 7 a.m. at the First Methodist Church. The race starts at 7:45 a.m., as the farmers' market opens at the Coliseum parking lot.
A pancake breakfast will also start at 7:30 a.m. at the historic train depot, inside the Amtrak building. The breakfast will help raise funds to support the historic depot. There is a $5 cost for breakfast, which ends at 11 a.m. Grilled ham and cheese meals will be served at the depot from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Butler County Fair will resume at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ray Clinton Park, with stick horse performances. A carnival will open at 2 p.m., and a Home Depot kids workshop tent will be open from 2-6 p.m. Demolition derby activities start at 7 p.m.