Downtown Poplar Bluff promises to be hopping with people Saturday when the 12th annual Iron Horse Festival takes place.
“We are very excited to be able to put this on for our community again,” said Morgan McIntosh, executive director of Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc.
“We’re happy to see it grow and see new businesses and vendors participate in it,” McIntosh added.
This year’s event will take place on both Main and Vine streets.
The day will kick off with a pancake breakfast at the railroad depot starting at 8 a.m. and continuing through 11 a.m. Tickets are $7 per person, and the meal includes pancakes, sausage, coffee, milk and orange juice.
Patrons can eat inside the depot or carry-out will be available.
The Iron Horse Festival will begin at 10 a.m. with a car cruise-in along Main Street and a special children’s play area.
“In the Kids Zone, we’re going to have a couple big bounce houses,” McIntosh said. “The Boys and Girls Club is also going to come and have games and chalk and hula hoops and other things for kids to do.”
A River race will kick off at 10 as well, with 9-9:30 registration.
Numerous food and product vendors will be set up at the event, McIntosh said.
“We have several food trucks coming, and they will be set up on Vine Street,” she said.
Examples include Haffy’s Sports Bar & Grill, Taco Taco/Las Margaritas, Kona Ice, Fancy Funnel Cakes, Lemonade House Grille, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and more.
“Crabb & Co. is coming for the first time with their food truck, so there will be a seafood option as well,” McIntosh said.
Other vendors will have crafts, decorations and other items.
“We have a great list of vendors coming. We’ll have crafts of all types down Vine Street,” said McIntosh. “We’ll have some boutiques and fall decorations.
“There will be a pretty big variety.”
Throughout the day, McIntosh said, live entertainment will be offered on two stages.
“They will be playing at Haffy’s courtyard stage, and then we’ll have a band performing on Main Street,” she said.
The Moark Regional Railroad Museum, across from the Black River Coliseum, will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. as well.
At the nearby dog park, the Poplar Bluff Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting a pet show.
Registration for the second annual All Creatures Great and Small Pet Show will run from 10:45-11 a.m., with the show taking place from 11-noon.
Pet owners can enter their dogs, cats, fish, lizards, chickens, and even spiders.
Beginning at 1 p.m., Haffy’s also will host a cornhole tournament in its courtyard.
Iron Horse Festival events will wrap up at 4 p.m., McIntosh said.
“Downtown Poplar Bluff, Inc., would like to welcome you and your family downtown for a day of entertainment and family fun,” McIntosh said. “We’d love to see you down here and hope you have a great time.”