Dexter, Missouri – The glory days of America’s wild frontier are long gone, but you can still take a step back in time and relive a little history at the 6th Annual Stoddard County Spring Festival in Dexter’s East City Park.
The Spring Festival will host a Walk Back in Time Living History Encampment placing you back in the 1800’s where the smell of kettle corn will tickle your senses. Old Mountain Men will talk of tall tales and entertain you with their old fashioned music. A blacksmith will be on hand to demonstrate and create unique iron pieces.
There is something for everyone to see and do when you attend a Living History event such as this one. Owner of Two Feathers Trading Co. dreamed of hosting such events and educating the young about the past.
"I have been attending events such as these since 1999 when my daughter was just 5 years old," commented Dee Loflin, co-owner of Two Feathers Trading Co. She with her daughter Jessica have been camping for years and it has been a hobby of theirs for many years. They both enjoy meeting people from all over the country who do this for a living.
"You may indulge your senses with the aroma and taste of rootbeer, old-fashioned candy, fry bread burgers, hand-squeezed lemonade, home-style potato chips, and kettle corn," commented co-owner Jessica Loflin. "Who wouldn't want to try some of these delicious foods and there is a candy cannon that we shoot for the kids. They love it!"
The event begins Friday, April 3rd at 9:00 a.m. – Sunday at 2:00 p.m., but the bulk of the Spring Festival will be on Saturday, April 4th from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
There is plenty to do at the Rendezvous: Knife and Hawk Throw, Primitive Bow, leather tanning, weaving, primitive traders with goods for sale, a blacksmith’s shop, atlatl demonstrations, furs and pelts, skulls, candy cannon at 10 a.m. and noon, old fashioned music and of course the food!
There will also be a 50 cal percussion cap rifle being raffled off at the big green tent! This is FREE to the public and plenty of parking at East Park in Dexter.
Don’t forget there will be the 2nd Annual Gary Don Dowdy Memorial Car, Truck, Tractor & Motorcycle Show. Entry fee is $20 per car, but if you enter more than one car it’s only $10 per car. All proceeds will go to the Kenady-Hanks American Legion Post #59 in Dexter. Contact Eric Smith, Commander of the American Legion for more information at 573-718-2021.
There will be plenty of Craft Booths available as well. Perfect for small businesses or home businesses to get their product out to the public. These are outside spaces and registration is only $25 with proceeds also going to the American Legion. If you didn't pre-register that's ok, please come out at 8 a.m. and set-up!
There will also be the Miss Stoddard County Spring Festival Pageant at 10:30 a.m. The attire is your cutest spring outfit and registration is $25.00. Contact information is Paige Williams at For the Love of Pageants in Bernie, Missouri. Her number is 573-421-1396.
Age divisions are for girls only and are Baby Miss (0-9 months), Wee Miss (10-23 months), Tiny Miss (2-3 years), Little Miss (4-6 years), Petite Miss (7-10 years), Junior Miss (11-13 years) and Miss (14 years and up). This is a non-glitz pageant and no excessive hair or make-up. There will be a Queen and two alternates in each division.
If you have any questions about the Stoddard County Spring Festival find them on Facebook by clicking HERE.
Jefferson City, Missouri - Tyler Stevenson and Kay Stevenson of the Missouri Bootheel Society Children of the American Revolution attended the 64th Missouri State Society Children of the American Revolution Conference in Jefferson City, MO on March 14th and 15th, where Tyler was inducted as State Historian for 2015-16.
The 2014-15 State Theme was "Paws for Patriots" and the State President's Project was to raise funds to purchase one or more service dogs for veterans. "Missouri Patriot Paws" is a non-profit organization that rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to be service dogs for veterans and was the recipient of funds to purchase/train 3 dogs for veterans from MSSCAR.
Tyler was awarded 1st Place in the 2015 President’s Contest for the member with the best name for the “Paws of Patriots” dog. Tyler chose the name “Val” which is short for Valor or Valerie depending on the gender of the dog. Val will be the name of one of the service dogs. Tyler also received 3rd place for Best Photo of a member with their best friend (11&older).
Missouri Bootheel Society won 2nd place in the Mountain Schools contest for monetary donations. Other award recipients from Dexter not in attendance at the conference were Weston Jarrell, 1st place for the State President’s Contest for member 5 and under and 3rd Place for Perennial Garden contest. Weston and Walker Jarrell, 1st place for the Best Photo of a member with their best friend (ages 10 and younger). Walker Jarrell received 2nd place in the Archives Contest, 1st place 2015 Patriotic Education award (8 and under) and 2nd Place in the Perennial Garden contest.
Tyler Stevenson is a junior at Dexter High School and the son of Kay Stevenson of Dexter and Keith Stevenson of Theodosia, MO. Walker and Weston Jarrell are the sons of Brad and Sarah Jarrell of Dexter. Walker is a student at Southwest Elementary.
Dexter, Missouri – Join the American Legion in Dexter for delicious homemade chicken & dumplings this Sunday, March 29th from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Price is only $6.00 per adult and children under 8 are free. They are located at 520 West Oak across from the West City Park.
The Kenady-Hanks American Legion Post #59 serves veterans in our county and raises money throughout the year with fundraisers such as these. They host a blood drive at least four times a year as well adopt families at Christmas and provide a gift to veterans in nursing homes. They host two Veterans Fishing Day in May and September and various other programs for veterans.
Please join them Sunday, March 29th from 11 – 2 and warm-up with some homemade chicken and dumplings!
Dexter, Missouri - The Kiwanis Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, April 4th at 1:00 p.m. at West City Park in Dexter, Missouri.
The event is open to all children ages pre-school through 3rd grade. There will be three divisions for prizes - Pre-School, Kingergarten through 1st grade, and 2nd - 3rd grade.
The park is located across from the Stoddard County Ambulance District building on W. Business US Hwy 60 and is FREE to the public.
The Easter Bunny will be there a little before 1 p.m. so bring a camera, but he can’t stay too long as he has to get busy and hide more Easter Eggs that night for all the little boys and girls to find on Easter morning.
There will be three special eggs and one in each age division. Find one and you will receive a wonderful Easter Basket full of goodies!
There will be plenty of eggs for everyone! Come out and have a great time with the kids.
On hand to mark the occasion were (from left to right) Donna Couch, Diane Seiter, Manuela Gilmore, Alderman Terry Battles, Dexter Mayor Joe Weber, Dr. Reeca Daves, Walt Turner, Chamber President Kevin Bishop, First Vice President Debbie Stidham, Mendey Bell, And Dexter Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janet Coleman.
Poplar Bluff Children’s Dentistry is located at 2951 Kanell Blvd in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Dr. Reeca D. Daves, DDS specializes in Pediatric Dentistry. For more information contact them at (573) 785-7700.
