For the third year in a row, downtown Taylor will be filled with food, fun, and entertainment as part of the city’s annual Tiger Fest. Named after the high school mascot, the city’s fall festival scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 7, has grown to include numerous vendors, contests, cash prizes, and live bands since its inception in 2015.
Last weekend a pageant was held as the first of many contests associated with Tiger Fest. Baby Miss, Toddler Miss, Tiny Miss, Little Miss, Petite Miss, Junior Miss, and Miss Tiger Fest winners were all crowned at Taylor High School. Although the pageant is technically the festival’s first event, the primary gathering day is Oct. 7.
A car show sponsored by Mustard Seed Financial will kick off Tiger Fest at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. At 10 a.m. a parade full of unique floats and vehicles will commence through the downtown Taylor park area.
“It starts at the school parking lot and comes all the way down Main Street,” said Taylor City Hall employee and Tiger Fest spokesperson Kay Emerson. “You can decorate your golf cart or you can ride your bicycle. It consists of anything and everything.”
Parade participants should be in the school parking lot by 9:30 a.m. A $50 prize for best original float will be awarded after the event. Immediately following the parade, a 5K charity walk — new to Tiger Fest for 2017 — will take place. The contestants will be featured in the short procession, then begin their event.
“When the parade disperses at the four-way stop, the walkers keep going until their race is over,” said Emerson.
The event requires an entry fee of $25, and the money raised will benefit juvenile diabetes charities. The 5K winner will also receive a $50 prize.
At noon, the festival will hold a treasure hunt with a prize of $200. Clues will be announced once every hour at the festival. If the treasure has not been found by late afternoon, clues will be released at a more frequent rate.
Multiple other new Tiger Fest events are scheduled for Saturday. Included are a hot dog eating contest, a flu clinic, and extended live entertainment. The eating competition has a $50 prize, and there are no limits as to the number of contestants participating.
“They’ll be up on the stage with a platter of hot dogs in front of them, and a judge will monitor and count while they eat,” said Emerson. “They will have a time frame, and they will try to eat as many hot dogs as they can.”
No entry fee is required for the eating contest.
A station administering flu shots for those with proper medical coverage will be on hand Saturday along with a “kid’s corner” featuring multiple entertainment options including playground equipment, carnival games, snow cones, and face painting.
Throughout the day, many vendors selling food and crafts will be set up all around downtown Taylor. Last year, over 40 booths were present. This year hopes to see an increase in that number, according to Emerson.
“You can buy a 12-foot by 12-foot space and put anything on it you like for $20,” she said. “For a space with electricity, the cost is $40, and they are all first-come, first-serve.”
Live acts will grace the stage throughout the day Saturday, but new this year is a live band which begins playing at 5 p.m. and performs indefinitely. The band is called Raw Country from Springhill, Louisiana.
The early weather forecast for Saturday, Oct. 7, shows a high temperature of 89 degrees and a low temperature of 66 degrees. Humidity should also be reasonable at 59 percent, and no rain threat is expected, according to The Weather Channel.
For more details on Tiger Fest or registration information, call 870-510-1034 or visit the Tiger Fest Facebook page.