(Photo By Flickr User Joe Shlabotnik)
“There ain’t nobody here but us turkeys, there ain’t nobody here at all; so calm yourself and stop that fuss, there ain’t nobody here but us. We turkeys tryin’ to sleep and you butt in, and gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, with your chin!”
The Tremont Turkey Festival was initiated in 1966 to raise funds to build a swimming pool in the Tremont Park. Since then, local residents have served as volunteer chairmen to help make each festival a success.
This year theme for the Tremont Turkey Festival is “Small Town, Big Dreams!”
Life in a small town offers many things: a slower pace of life, friendly people who know their neighbors, beautiful scenery, and streets that are safe and free of traffic congestion.
In Tremont, IL it also means celebrating the start of summer with their annual festival.
Here is a “Turkey Bird’s Eye View” to see what will be going on at this year’s festival:
Tremont Turkey Festival 2017 Schedule:
Thursday, June 8th-
9am – 1:30pm Merchants’ Day activities (Downtown)
5pm – Close Carnival Buddy Night — Kids ride two for the price of one!
7pm Miss Tremont Pageant (High School Gym)
Friday, June 9th-
11am – 9pm* Food Line (Wings, livers, gizzards, and hearts not available until 4 PM)
11am – 1pm Turkey Express
11am – 10pm Strawberry Shortcake and Smoothies
11am – 6pm Tremont Food Pantry – Pack the Truck (High School parking lot)
Noon – 10pm Country Store
3:30pm – 6pm Turkey Express
4pm – 10pm Free Shuttle Bus from High School to Festival
4pm – 10pm Merchants Tent
4pm – 8pm Craft Show
5pm – 8pm Antique Corner
5pm – Close Carnival
6pm – 6:30pm Jill Prescher (Entertainment Tent)
6:30pm – 8:15pm Lincoln & Shields with special guest Lindsey Ropp and Friends (Entertainment Tent)
8:30pm – 9:30pm Smart Phone Music Video Contest (Entertainment Tent)
Saturday, June 10th-
6:30am – 10am Pancake and Sausage Breakfast: All-U-Can Eat (Food Line Area)
7:30am 5K Foot Race (Start/finish at center of park on James Street)
(Awards at the park shelter immediately following the end of the race).
8:30am Horseshoe Tournament (Northeast corner of the park)
9am – 10pm Merchants Tent
9am – 8pm Craft Show
9am – 8pm Antique Corner (Across from the West side of the park)
9am – 10pm Country Store
9am – 10pm Free Shuttle Bus from High School to Festival
10am – 2pm Antique Tractor Pull (East edge of town, corner of Route 9 and Baer Road)
10:30am – 11:30am Julie K (Entertainment Tent)
11am – Noon Frozen Turkey Toss (Baseball outfield in park)
11am – 1pm Turkey Express
11am – 6pm Tremont Food Pantry – Pack the Truck (High School parking lot)
11am – 9pm* Food Line
11am – 10pm Strawberry Shortcake and Smoothies
11am – Close Carnival
11:30am – Noon Bake-off Contest Entry Check-in (Entertainment tent)
1pm Horseshoe Tournament Finals (Northeast corner of the park)
1pm Bed Races (Center of park on James Street)
(Following the Bed Races Bake-off Contest Winners Announced (Center of park on James Street)
Following the Bed Races Strawberry Shortcake Eating Contest (Center of park on James Street)
3pm – 5pm Kids’ Tractor Pull (Center of the park on James St.)
3:30pm – 6pm Turkey Express
6:30pm – 7:30pm Casey Cattie (Entertainment Tent)
7:30pm Introduction of Queen and Court (Entertainment Tent)
7:30pm – 9pm Aileeah Colgan Band (Entertainment Tent)
Sunday, June 11th-
9am – 6pm Free Shuttle Bus from High School to Festival
9pm – 11:30am Sign-in for Car Show (Parking lot of Camden Chiropractic)
10am Community Church Service (Entertainment Tent)
11:30am – 3:30pm Car Show (Parking lot of Camden Chiropractic)
11am – 5pm* Food Line
11am – 5pm* Strawberry Shortcake and Smoothies
11am – 5pm Craft Show
11am – Close Carnival
11am – 5pm Country Store
Noon – 1:30pm The Gibson Girls (Entertainment Tent)
Noon – 5pm Merchants Tent
Noon – 4pm Antique Corner
4pm Parade
* or until food is sold out
Enjoy the beautiful park as you stroll through the craft and antique booths, stop by the country store, or watch the numerous performers in the entertainment tent. From the Miss Tremont Pageant on Thursday night to the parade on Sunday afternoon, there is something here to entertain all ages!
Come out and enjoy the Small Town Atmosphere and see what Big Dreams are really made of!
Join in for the celebration at the 52nd Annual Tremont Turkey Festival in Tremont, IL!
Get more information on this event by logging on to www.turkeyfestival.com.
