Downtown Poplar Bluff is the place to be in this week’s MAIN EVENT.
It will be host to the Iron Horse Festival and the Butler County Fair throughout the weekend.
More than 100 vendors are expected for the Iron Horse Festival, which sold out of its booths for the event. Activities will take place along Vine, Broadway and Main streets. Area businesses and vendors will sell crafts, food and more.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to view the Downtown Strawman Competition entries, in which local businesses competed.
A breakfast fundraiser will be held from 7:30-11 a.m. Saturday at the Historic Depot at 400 S. Main St., by members of the Depot committee. Funds go to ongoing renovations of the building.
A ribbon cutting will be held at 10 a.m. at Archer’s, at 416 Vine St., to mark the business’ relocation to the historic heart of the city.
The Black River Coliseum will be open and host to activities for the Butler County Fair’s home ec, ag and youth exhibits from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Bidding for silent auction items will go on until noon.
The Little Mister and Miss Butler County Fair Beauty Pageant begins at 9 a.m., with a $5 entrance fee.
A cornhole tournament will be held as part of fair activities from 2-9 p.m.
The fair activities at Poplar Bluff Motorsports Park have been postponed.
Additional fair activities will be held Oct. 11, with a rodeo and pet costume march.
Other upcoming events include:
— 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 Black River Coliseum WHAT A car show to 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 mall. WHAT A car show hosted by Boosted Behavior.
— Walk to End Alzheimer’s, 10 a.m. Oct. 5 WHERE Poplar Bluff High School stadium and track WHAT A fundraiser to benefit local dementia resources and programs. For more information or to join a team, visit alz.org. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m.