(Photo By Flickr User eddie welker)

 

The celebration that is now known as the “Manito Popcorn Festival began back in 1972. Two young ladies named Linda & Phylis sought the support of the area churches to have an “Old Fashioned Picnic in the Park: With no budget and a lot of hard work, the annual celebration began, They had a frog jumping contest, auctioned off box lunches and generally just had a good time. In fact they had such a good time that they did it again in 1973. This time a few more people became interested and there were some game booths and food booths in the park. It was at this time that Linda and Phylis approached Lee Lacey with the idea that they had it started and now it was his turn to keep it going. Thus began a long association with this annual event.

The tentative schedule for the Manito Popcorn Festival is as follows:

MANITO POPCORN FESTIVAL

Theme: KID’S MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND

Carnival Rides All Three Days

Friday, September 2nd:

4:00 p.m. – Flag Raising Ceremony & Memorial Service conducted by PCHS JROTC

6:00 p.m. – Popcorn Princess Pageant; Disc Golf Glow Tournament – Memorial Park

7:00 p.m. – Talent Contest; Line-up of Antique Farm Equipment – Ag Of The Past

Saturday, September 3rd:

7:30 a.m. – Annual One Mile Fun Run

8:00 a.m. – Annual 5k Run & Walk

9:00 a.m. – Parade Line Up; Craft Show Opens; Race Winners Announced; Winners of Festival Golf Tournament Announced

10:00 a.m. – Popcorn Festival Parade

11:00 a.m. – Pulled Pork Dinner for Leukodystrophy Foundation; Free Inflatables

11:15 a.m. – FFA Member Auction Registration -Veteran’s Park Stage

11:30 a.m. – 3 on 3 Basketball; FFA Member Auction

12:00 p.m. – Antique Tractor Pull – Forman Center; Free Pony Rides in Triangle Park; Bags Tournament

2:00 p.m. – Battle of The Bands

5:00 p.m. – Evening meal (Manito Methodist Church-sponsor); Playground Dedication

6:00 p.m. – Lip Sync Contest
Sunday, September 4th:

8:00 a.m. – Interdenominational Church Service in the Park. – Pastor Gregory Boylan

11:00 a.m. – Craft Show Opens

Noon – Kids Games

1:00 p.m. – Pedal Tractor Pull – Registration – Mason Young Farmers

1:30 p.m. – Pedal Tractor Pull (Youth & Adult Divisions) – Young Farmers

2:00 p.m. – Project Two Sound

3:00 p.m. – Basket Auction

Schedule firm at time of publication and may be changed without notice by Popcorn Festival Committee.