Hootin an Hollarin festival guide included inside this edition
We hope you’re ready to hoot and holler, because the town of Gainesville is just about to be decked out in its celebratory best for the famous three-day Hootin an Hollarin festival, now only a week away. The fun kicks off Thursday evening, Sept. 18, and lasts clear through midnight on Saturday, Sept. 20.
During that time, the square will be alive with music, laughter and the steady thrum of square dancers’ feet. Festival-goers can stroll past rows of crafters and old-fashioned demonstrators, try their hand at games, sample mouth-watering food from trucks and vendors and browse booths filled with handmade treasures of every kind. Crowds will gather to see a new queen crowned and her court presented, cheer for costume contest winners and little princesses introduced and clap for the youngsters chosen as Lil Cedar Pete and Lil Miss Addie Lee. Terrapins will race, pies will be judged, outhouses and beds will be pushed to victory and a whole host of other contests and events will keep the square buzzing from start to finish.
If you’re looking to plan your weekend down to the minute, we’ve got you covered. Tucked inside this week’s edition is our official 92-page Hootin an Hollarin festival guide. It’s chock-full of all the information you need to know: schedules, booth maps, vendor listings and profiles of every entertainer who’ll take the stage. You’ll also find stories highlighting several folks being honored this year, including Bakersfield Fire Chief Greg Watts, the 2025 parade marshal; Douglas Hawkins, Citizen of the Year; Drake and Kara Potter and their children, recognized as the 2025 Ozark County Farm Family; and Larry and Sonja Grisham and their family, proud owners of an Ozark County Century Farm (see related story, page 3).
This year’s festival theme is “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” celebrating the spirit shown in everything from pie suppers that raise money for neighbors in need, to friends showing up with chainsaws after a storm, to the emergency responders and volunteer firefighters who answer the call no matter the hour or disaster that awaits.
That same spirit has carried Hootin an Hollarin through the decades. Now in its 64th year, it holds the proud distinction of being one of the oldest (if not the oldest) fall festivals in Missouri. With a history this rich, it’s no wonder thousands still flock to Ozark County every September to celebrate the old-time ways, pioneer beginnings and down-home hillbilly culture that make these hills the best place to call home.