MAIN EVENT: Festivals ring in first day of fall

The first official day of fall is this weekend and our region is ready in this week’s MAIN EVENT. There are five festivals, bazaars and contests to choose from on Saturday alone.

Fisk will hold its annual Fall Festival with a parade at 10 a.m. and more throughout the day, including a car and truck show, pageant and children’s games.

McGruder HomeGrown offers pumpkin and flower picking, mazes, vendors and more at their fall festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Frontier Days at Patterson’s Otahki Lake, will include a pie eating contest, live music and more, also 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Elks Lodge Post 2452 offers a craft and arts bazaar from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Downtown Poplar Bluff will also be host to the annual September Slam skateboard contest, with events starting at 1 p.m.

Other upcoming events include:

— Women Aware Conference, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sept. 19 WHERE Black River Coliseum WHAT This offers a full day of learning, motivation, and networking for women.

— Book Buzz Club, 6 p.m. Sept. 19 WHERE Bread+Butter WHAT This read what you want book club is sponsored by the Poplar Bluff Library. This meeting’s theme is the to be read list.

— Fisk Fall Festival, Sept. 21. WHERE Fisk. COST Free admittance. WHAT Fisk will celebrate autumn with a parade, beauty pageant, car show, auction and more. Parade starts at 10 a.m. near Twin Rivers Middle School. Lineup begins at 9:30 a.m. The pageant will be held 11 a.m. at the pavilion. The car, truck and bike show runs from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. A silent auction will be open until 1 p.m. at which time 50/50 drawings begin. Attractions include vendors, food trucks, craft booths, a bounce house, children’s games and a train. For more information or to register as a vendor, contact Tara at 573-609-4349.

— Arts & Craft Bazaar, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE Elks Lodge Post 2452 WHAT Event includes craft and food vendors. For information, contact 573-281-8270 or 573-429-0081.

— McGruder HomeGrown Fall Festival, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE 134 County Road 367 (located down V Highway), Harviell. COST $5 parking fee at the gate. WHAT Pumpkin and flower picking, food trucks, mazes, vendors and more. Corn maze entrance is $5 for children over 3. Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate outdoor attire and bring lawn chairs, if desired. Portable bathrooms are provided.

— Frontier Fest, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE Otahki Lake, Patterson COST $15 wrist band, 2 and under free WHAT Event includes a craft fair, pie eating contest, yard games, live music, food trucks and more.

— Yoga class at the library, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE Poplar Bluff Library, main branch WHAT Bidewell Fitness Center instructors offer a class for all skill levels.

— September Slam, sign up noon, events 1 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE Poplar Bluff Skate Park WHAT Annual event will include variety of skateboard contests.

— Silver Screen Sundays, 2-4 p.m. Sept. 22 WHERE Rodgers Theatre WHAT This week’s move will be “Goldfinger.”

— Rocky’s Fan Fest, 2-5 p.m. Sept. 22 WHERE Libla Family Sports Complex COST Free WHAT This event from the Three Rivers Booster Club offers a chance to meet Rocky the Raider and enjoy family activities, including free hamburgers and snow cones, bounce houses, face painting, steer roping and giveaways.

— Butler County Fair exhibits and silent auction, Sept. 26-28 WHERE Black River Coliseum WHAT Exhibit check in is noon-8 p.m. Sept. 26 and 7-10 a.m. Sept. 27. Viewing will be 4-10 p.m. Sept. 27 and 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sept. 28.

— Iron Horse Festival, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 28 WHERE Downtown Poplar Bluff WHAT The 15th annual event will include live entertainment, food and arts and crafts vendors. Proceeds benefit Downtown Poplar Bluff.

— Downtown Cruise In, 10 a.m. Sept. 28 WHERE Vine Street WHAT This will be held during the Iron Horse Festival.

— Black River Duck Derby, 10 a.m. Sept. 28 WHERE Vine Street Bridge COST Adopt a rubber duck for $5 WHAT This event is coordinated with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and raises funds for the Alzheimer’s Association. Ducks will be released from the Vine Street bridge and race to the finish line. Cash prizes will be awarded to the owners of the winning ducks.

— Big Spring marks century as public lands, 10 a.m. Sept. 28 WHERE Big Spring, Van Buren COST Free WHAT The Ozark National Scenic Riverways will celebrate 100 years since the creation of Missouri’s first state park, Big Spring, by planting 100 native trees with volunteers at the Big Spring area.

— Cruise in, 6 p.m. Sept. 28 WHERE Valley Plaza Shopping Center WHAT Hosted by Boosted Behavior.