The Fireant Festival will be back in Marshall this fall, with the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce officially setting the date for the festival as Saturday, Oct. 8.
Director Stacia Runnels said that the community can expect the well-loved traditional events, with more added for this year’s upcoming festivities.
“We are so excited to start the planning process for this year’s festival celebrating the 40-year anniversary,” Runnels said.
Well known attractions like live music planned throughout the day on the main stage, the Tour de Fireant long distance bike ride, the 5K, the Toddler Trot, and Kids K events are all scheduled for this year’s festival.
Runnels said that the annual 5K run will be moved back up this year to start at 8 a.m., to be sure participants aren’t faced with weather that’s too hot.
Community members can also expect a large concert performance planned for Memorial City Hall at the end of the day. The concert is headlined by local country music artist Curtis Grimes. Grimes is an East Texas Baptist University graduate with deep ties to Marshall.
Doors open at 6 p.m. with Pepper Holt, a talented local country music artist, opening the show. The music will begin at 7 p.m.
Runnels said that this show will be ticketed, with a low price of $15 per ticket, to be available at www.memorialcityhall.com or the box office the night of the show.
Additionally, community members can expect a number of regular competitions, including the annual Diaper Derby, Gurning contest, Chicken Chunkin’ contest, Kids Dance Contest, Cupcake Contest and even a planned scavenger hunt.
New this year are plans to expand the regular children’s play area, which will include monster inflatable’s. Community members can also expect the festival’s main attraction, the annual Fireant Festival Parade, to be back again during the event.
To celebrate the festival’s 40-year anniversary, all parade floats will have a party and celebration theme, according to Runnels.
A wide range of vendors are also expected to make an appearance during the event, with applications for those open spots now open through the chamber of commerce.
“We have already had a number of interested vendors reaching out to us, so I really think its going to be a great year,” Runnels said.
Community members interested in participating in the festival as a product or food vendor can contact the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce at info@marshalltexas.com for inquiries.
Nonprofit and informational booth vendors fall under the product vendor umbrella. Product and food vendor booths will be assigned on a first come, first served basis based on full payment in order to be fair to all prospective vendors.
