60th Hootin an Hollarin will be held Sept. 16-18, 2021: Hootin an Hollarin is a month away, festival plans being finalized

The 60th annual Hootin an Hollarin festival, scheduled for Sept. 16-18 on the Gainesville square, is a month away, and members of the Hootin an Hollarin committee have been working behind the scenes to finalize details for the big event. This year’s festival theme is “Celebrating 60 years of Hootin an Hollarin.” Last year’s event was canceled due to covid. 

The Times will publish its annual Hootin an Hollarin festival guide, a glossy-covered magazine with information for the event, on Wednesday, Sept. 8. The guide will be included in all mailed editions sent to all Ozark County Times subscribers. It will also be available for free wherever the Times is sold and on racks at the festival. 

This year’s music lineup

The music lineup for 2021 Hootin an Hollarin includes several new bands, as well as many others that have played at past festivals. Most musical guests will play a one-hour time slot. 

Sam Overturf serves as this year’s festival emcee. 

After the mayor’s welcome, Hootin an Hollarin will kick off Thursday evening, Sept. 16, with the South 63 Band taking the stage at 6 p.m. to play country music  before the annual queen pageant at 7:30 p.m.

The Sunny Dee band, consisting of Casey Overturf on fiddle and Dee Hoffman on guitar, will serve as the Hootin an Hollarin stage band, kicking off Friday’s music at 11 a.m.. At 11:30 a.m. Joe Myers, pastor of Clear Springs Church, will showcase his musical talent. The Sunny Dee band plays again at 12:30 p.m. – as well as during other gaps in the festival schedule. At 4:30 p.m. Friday the five-piece band Backyard Bluegrass will entertain guests with their catchy tunes. Stringed Union Bluegrass follows at 5:30 p.m., and a Hootin an Hollarin favorite, the Baker Family, will round out Friday’s musical showcase with their performance at 7:30 p.m. 

On Saturday, Backyard Bluegrass returns for their second festival performance at 11 a.m., and Jericho, a male quartet from the St. Louis area that sings country gospel music, will play at noon. At 1 p.m. the McCool Clan will perform music that features on-stage cloggers. After the Big Parade, at 4 p.m., Michia Jenkins will perform a variety of inspirational music. The band Missouri 65 is scheduled to play at 5 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. performance by the female trio Magnolia Wind presenting music described as a combination of “folk, bluegrass, gospel and old-time music that creates a unique Ozarkian sound.” At 7:30 p.m., the band New Grass Attack performs blended harmony and song selections ranging from traditional to more modern bluegrass. 

Throughout the festival: Annual quilt show

This year’s Hootin an Hollarin quilt show, sponsored, as always, by the Friendly Neighbors Extension Club, will be situated between Sweet Little Things Bakery and Park Place Realty on the east side of the square. Lily Branco, one of the show’s organizers, says the quilt show exhibits “awesome quilted items made by ladies, men and children, sometimes as old as 90 and as young as 10.” Quilts to be judged need to be brought to the show site between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15, to be entered. The only requirement is that the quilt has not been entered in a previous Hootin an Hollarin quilt show.

Ribbons are awarded in several categories, including People’s Choice, Judges’ Choice, and one for this year’s festival theme: “Celebrating 60 years of Hootin an Hollarin.”

If there is space, antique quilts will be accepted for display but will not be judged. 

Organizers ask that those planning to enter a quilt let them know so that enough quilt racks can be gathered to display the quilts. Contact Lily Branco at 417-989-1313 or email lilybranco@hotmail.com. 

7 p.m. Thursday night: Queen pageant 

The Hootin an Hollarin queen pageant will be held at its usual time of 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16. The pageant is open to girls age 14 to 18 at the time of the festival and are either homeschooled or attending high school at the time of the festival. Contestants must either live in or attend school in Ozark County. 

The pageant usually includes a good mix of returning queen candidates and new participants who don old-timey dresses and step to the microphone, one by one, to answer questions designed to let them show their creativity and imagination. 

A panel of judges chooses the queen and the queen’s court, including a deputy queen and three princesses. Another honoree, Ms. Sweetie Pie, is chosen by the contestants themselves after voting in secret for their fellow contestant who has been the kindest and most supportive to the group. 

Hootin an Hollarin Committee members are happy to help any qualified contestant with their dress, speech or transportation needs to the pageant or rehearsals. 

Each contestant receives a Hootin an Hollarin T-shirt and other gifts, and the contestants enjoy a pizza party at one of the rehearsals. The queen receives a $100 cash prize and a tiara, and special charms are given to the queen and her court. 

Girls interested in participating in this year’s competition can fill out the queen pageant registration form on page 3 and drop it off at any Century Bank of the Ozarks location or at the circuit clerk’s office in the Ozark County Courthouse before Aug. 31 or mail it to Becki Strong, P.O. Box 412, Gainesville, MO 65655. 

The contestants will meet for their first rehearsal on the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 1. 

Square dancing at 9 p.m. every night

At 9 p.m. each night of the festival, festival-goers kick up their heels for one of the most authentic parts of Hootin an Hollarin - the square dancing. Live musicians play the night away as dancers of all ages take to the dance platforms. Generally, groups of more seasoned dancers perform on the northernmost platforms on the east side of the square, and younger and more inexperienced groups fill the platforms toward the south end. Many times those new to square dancing can find a group willing to help them learn in the best way possible – by jumping in and getting twirled around the dance floor. 

Free kids games and terrapin races on Friday and Saturday

Free kids games are scheduled at several times throughout the festival on Friday and Saturday; the games will be held in three locations around the square. 

Shelter Insurance - Douglas Hawkins Agency is sponsoring the Shelter Insurance Kids’ Corner, which features free activities and will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, in front of the Shelter Insurance office on Third Street off the southwest corner of the square. Watch for “free kids’ corner” signs. Activities will include a corn tub dig, Simon says, soda bottle ring toss, chalk fun and more. Free helium balloons will be given to children who are at the kids’ corner around 1:45 p.m., just before the 2 p.m. Saturday parade. The balloons are sponsored by Century Bank of the Ozarks, the Hootin an Hollarin Committee, Shelter Insurance and Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts. 

Terrapin races will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday in front of the Shelter Insurance Building. Signs will be hung in the area to direct participants to the site. Those interested in participating should bring their own terrapin and arrive at 10 a.m. to register for the race. Participants can enter either race or both. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third places in the terrapin races. Organizers ask that contestants not paint or alter the terrapins’ shells in any way and that, after the race, they return the animals to the area where they were found. 

Another set of free kids games will be held at 6 p.m. Friday on the north side of the courthouse lawn (across from City Hall) and will feature old-time sack races, Simon says and egg races (bring your own raw egg to participate). Egg race contestants who dress their egg in a bicentennial costume (in honor of Missouri’s bicentennial) automatically win a prize.

Kids age 10 and younger can participate in a set of free, old-fashioned kids games at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, in the former Amyx Auto parking lot, located just off the northwest corner of the square across from City Hall. Sign-up begins at 4, and the games will begin immediately afterward. Games include a hula hoop contest, seed-spitting contest, jump-like-a-frog contest and more. 

2 p.m. Friday: Costume contest and parade

One of the favorite Hootin an Hollarin events is the Friday afternoon costume parade and contest, when folks young and old - and sometimes whole families - dress up in old-fashioned attire to wow the spectators and judges. 

Costumed participants sign up across from City Hall on the northwest corner of the square beginning at 1:30 p.m. Friday. At 2 p.m. the costumed participants parade around the square to the main stage on the east side. Each costume-clad contestant has an opportunity to step up before the judges and give them his or her best smile. Children and adults of all ages are welcome to join in on the fun and enter the competition, which is broken down into different age groups for girls and boys, men and women. There are also categories for large group (4 or more people), small group (2-3 people), new dress and old dress. A Judges’ Choice award is given to the overall winner from all categories. 

3:15 p.m. Friday: Lil Cedar Pete and Lil Miss Addie Lee contest

The Lil Cedar Pete and Lil Miss Addie Lee contest begins at 3:15 p.m. Friday on the main stage. (Sign up beside or behind the stage right after the costume contest.) Sponsored by the Ozark County Chamber of Commerce, the contest for boys and girls ages 4 and 5 commemorates two of the founders of Hootin an Hollarin, Addie Lee Lister, known as the “First Lady of Hootin an Hollarin” and Ed Patterson, whom Lister credited with thinking up the name Hootin an Hollarin and who created the festival’s Cedar Pete character. Kids entering the contest will be asked a series of four or five questions from the contest emcee – usually about their favorite color, if they have any brothers and sisters or if they have pets at home. At the end of the interview, the contestants are asked if they’d like to share anything else - a song, joke or story. Old-time costume is optional; contestants are not judged on their costume. 

5 p.m. Friday: Outhouse and bed races

The outhouse and bed races are held Friday afternoon on the west side of the square. 

Bed races, sponsored by the Gainesville PTO, begin at 5 p.m. Teams consist of five members (four pushers and a rider) who race a bed on wheels down the street from the stop sign in front of Molly’s Salon and Boutique to the finish line in front of City Hall. Costumes are encouraged, and some teams participate with funny or interesting skits during their race. Cash prizes are awarded to first-, second- and third-place teams in the timed event, and another prize is awarded to the best-dressed team. Teams can choose to prioritize speed or to ham it up with costumes, dances and skits in the middle of their run to keep things lively and the crowd entertained. The entry fee is $10 per team. Last-minute entries are welcome. Teams should gather on the southwest corner of the square in front of Molly’s at 4:30 p.m. before the 5 p.m. starting time. 

The outhouse races will follow the bed races, with five-member teams needed – four as pushers with one participant riding inside the outhouse. The teams start from in front of City Hall and race to the stop sign in front of Molly’s, where the first rider hops out and switches places with one of the pushers. The team then races back to the finish line in front City Hall. There is no entry fee for the outhouse race.

Chairperson Paula Rose appreciates pre-registration for both events, but it’s not mandatory. To register, contact her at 417-989-1282 or paularose1797@gmail.com. 

8:30 a.m. Saturday: Hillbilly 5K run/walk

Runners and walkers are invited to participate in Ozark County’s oldest 5K, the Hootin an Hollarin Hillbilly 5K, set for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. “This is the granddaddy of them all,” said 5K coordinator Doug Hawkins. Walkers are also welcome and are encouraged to participate.

This year’s event is a partnership between the Ozark County Youth Sports organization and the Gainesville School cross country teams. All proceeds from the event will benefit the teams. 

The race is a pet-friendly event,  Hawkins said. 

Sign up is at 7:42 a.m. race day next to Gainesville City Hall, or participants can pre-register by mail with registration forms that can be picked up at 5K sponsor Shelter Insurance or at the Ozark County Times office. Mail the completed form to Doug Hawkins, Shelter Insurance, P.O. Box 115, Gainesville, MO 65655.

Pre-registration is $20. Registration the day of the event is $25. Make checks payable to the Ozark County Youth Sports or to Doug Hawkins. All participants receive a commemorative T-shirt and finisher medals. Custom trophies made by Bargain Bin will be awarded to the race winners. 

9 a.m. Saturday: Shotgun and archery shoot

The shotgun and archery shoot will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday. The event, sometimes referred to as a “turkey shoot,” is held across Highway 160 from the Gainesville square in the grassy area near the Barney Douglas Bridge. 

The shoot, managed by Missouri Department of Conservation agents Jerry Kiger and Tom Leeker, features shooting competitions in shotgun and archery categories. In the shotgun competition, shooters test their skill by taking aim at paper targets. For the archery portion, competitors shoot 3D targets (generally three different animals and one block target). Multiple matches in each category will be held to involve all participants who want to compete. Competitors can choose to compete in one or both categories. 

Those wishing to participate should register just before 9 a.m. at the competition site. Participants in the archery category should bring their own bow and at least four arrows. Participants in the shotgun competition should bring their own firearm; shotgun ammunition will be provided. The event generally takes less than an hour. 

10 a.m. Saturday: Pet show

All different types of pets are welcome in the lighthearted Hootin an Hollarin pet show, which is directed each year by veterinarian  Konnie Plumlee. Contestants and their owners are asked to sign up in front of the main stage on the east side of the square between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. before the show starts at 10.

Some pets come in costume, some perform tricks and others wow the judges simply by being adorable. Contestants show the crowd and the judges what their pet (of any species) can do, and each pet is awarded a ribbon and a title of some kind. Hootin an Hollarin pet show judges are quite imaginative in creating categories. Usually prizes are given for such things as hardest working, best wagger, most unusual and other innovative categories.

All animals must be restrained. Plumlee also emphasizes that temperatures inside vehicles quickly reach dangerous levels, and pets should not be left inside them before or after the show. A container of water is provided for pets at the show.

10 a.m. Saturday: Horseshoe pitching

This year’s Hootin an Hollarin horseshoe pitching competition will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot across from Shelter Insurance at Third Street and Harlin Drive west of the square. The event is free, and everyone is invited to join in - or to come watch. 

11:30 a.m. Saturday: Annual pie-baking contest

The 2021 Hootin an Hollarin pie-baking contest will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Shelter Insurance office on Third Street just west of the square. Area bakers are encouraged to show off their pie-baking skills with any type of pie. Past contests have included pot pies, mincemeat pies, berry, strawberry rhubarb, cream pies and more. 

Pies will be accepted beginning at 10:30 a.m. There is no age limit, residency requirements or other qualifications for entrants. 

A panel of judges, one of whom will be 155th District House of Representative Travis Smith, will sample all of the pies and choose a grand champion as well as first, second and third places. Pies are judged on appearance, taste and crust. After the winners are announced on the main stage, the office will be opened (likely around 12:30 or so) for guests to come and sample the winning pies. 

2 p.m. Saturday: The Big Parade

Maybe the most attended event at Hootin an Hollarin each year is Saturday’s Big Parade, when attendees line the streets to watch as a colorful array floats, bands, vintage vehicles, tractors and lawn mowers, horses and other entries make their way along First Street, up Main Street and around the square. 

Parade organizer Kerrie Zubrod says five marching bands have already signed up for this year’s parade, a much higher number than usual. She’s also had a number of people contact her to say they’ll be participating with floats or other entries. 

Keeping in mind this year’s festival theme - “Celebrating 60 years of Hootin an Hollarin” - area organizations, families and individuals are encouraged to round up friends and neighbors, tap into their inner creativity and build a float on a pickup bed or a flat-top trailer (or whatever else is handy) to join the parade. Winning floats earn prize money: $150 grand prize, $100 first place, $75 second place, $50 third place and $25 fourth place. All other types of parade entries are also encouraged.

Floats must be available for judging at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the MoDOT maintenance shed on MM Highway behind and just west of the Dollar General store near Highways 160 and 5 north. The facility will open at 8 a.m. for float assembly and decoration. Lineup begins at 1 p.m. with step-off an hour later. 

For more information, contact Kerrie Zubrod at Century Bank of the Ozarks, 417-679-3321.

3:30 p.m. Saturday: Calling contests

The annual Hootin an Hollarin calling contests, which have contestants on stage yipping, hootin’, hollarin’ and squawking, will be held at 3:30 p.m. on the main stage on the east side of the square. The four calling contest categories are cow, pig, turkey and husband. Those who wish to participate should sign up behind the main stage just prior to the show – or volunteer as the contest begins. Then, when the time comes, each contestant steps up to the microphone to let loose their best hill country call.