Turkey Trot begins its 74th run Friday

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Arkansas’s longest continuous festival returns to the Twin Lakes Area this weekend. The 74th edition of Turkey Trot will get underway Friday and continue through Saturday at the Marion County Courthouse square in downtown Yellville. The theme for this year’s festival is “Get Your Gobble On.”

The Mid-Marion County Rotary Club will serve as the sponsor for Turkey Trot for the second year. The local club signed on in April of last year, after the Yellville Chamber of Commerce dropped its sponsorship. The local Rotary Club stepped forward to sponsor the festival on the condition of no live turkeys being on the premises or dropped from airplanes.

Activities will begin at noon with the opening ceremonies on the main stage. The Star Spangled Banner will be performed, as the colors will be presented by the American Legion Post 61 and the Flippin Boy Scouts. Performances by the bands from Yellville-Summit and Flippin high schools will follow.

Several more events and performances will be held Friday on the main stage. NRG will provide the music from 1 until 3, the FBLA Club will sponsor a lip sync contest at 3:15, and the New CountryGrass Band will take the stage from 4 until 6. The evening will wrap up with a Turkey Trot street dance, with music provided by Kickin Kountry beginning at 7.

Saturday’s activities get underway at 7:30 a.m. with the Turkey Trot 5k and Little Turkey (kids) 1 Mile Run at Yellville City Park. The course is relatively flat with a three-loop circuit around the park. The cost to participate is $20, and runners can sign up at runsignup.com. The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Friday.

The Mid-Marion County Rotary Club parade will get underway at 10 a.m. in downtown Yellville. Roger Bates will serve as this year’s grand marshal. The parade will feature local bands, classic cars, floats and the famous Road Apple Gang.

The first activity on the main stage for Saturday will be at 11:30, as the contestants and winners from the Miss Turkey Trot pageant get introduced. The Welcome Ridge Band will follow with the first performance from noon to 2, and Trennedy Reese will take the stage from 2:15 until 2:45.

The Turning Point School of Dance will have the stage from 3 until 3:30. The school will present Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, Pearl, Hip-Hop, Cheer and Musical Theater group performances.

More music will be provided from 4 to 6 by Backwood Rebel. The Ridge Runner Cloggers will come in from Harrison and take the stage from 6:10 to 6:50. Another Turkey Trot street dance will get underway at 7, with music provided by Seldom Heard to wrap up this year’s festival.

The Mid-Marion County Rotary Club will have a beer garden available both days beginning at noon. Several food vendors will be available.

Due to the Turkey Trot activities, Marion County offices will be closed on Friday. For updates on Turkey Trot’s events, go online to facebook.com/turkeytrotyellville.

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