Annual event has top-notch bands
Pumpkin Show to start Next Week
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Members of the Versailles Lions Club have been working hard to make sure the 102nd Annual Versailles Pumpkin Show will be the best one yet.

From the kick off on Wednesday night when opening ceremonies begin at 6:00 p.m. until the last light is turned off late Saturday night, this year's event promises to be top-notch.

Wednesday, September 22, the Versailles Pumpkin Show will open with the singing of the National Anthem and prayer. The local gospel group Ecclesia will take center stage. They are comprised of BJ Myers, Kathleen French and Courtney Hughes. The South Ripley Young
Confederates will follow the gospel group that leads up to the crowning of the 2004 King and Queen.

The King and Queen Contest begins at 7:30 p.m. Contestants for this year include: Cody Stitzel and T.J. Rauch, East Central; Charity Linville and Nicholas Hoium, Jac-Cen-Del; Krystal Gray and Mark Horstman, Milan; Kayla Cheek and Derrek Ross,
Southeastern Career Center; Chandra Zwink and John Moton, Batesville; Elise Withered and Jesse Beckley, South Dearborn; Katie Sipples and Andrew Orwig, South Ripley; and Brianne Martin and Ryan Owings, Switzerland County.

After royalty is named to preside over the event, the band Hoosier Hills Bluegrass will perform.

The rides will begin each evening at 5:00 p.m. and at 9:00 on Saturday morning before the parade. Once again Luehrs Entertainment along with the Versailles Lions Club
have discounted the rides on Wednesday night, making all rides available for only one ticket.

Reduced ride tickets are available to area schools and can be purchased for $10.00 for 12 tickets. The tickets are good for the entire four-day event. You can also purchase tickets at Spencer Tyson Pharmacy on the square in Versailles; Versailles Super Valu, and Baker Motor Company in Milan. The last time to buy advance ride tickets will be 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 23.

Thursday night the excitement continues with live music on the stage from 6:05 until 6:40 with the High Voltage Band. This is a group of local kids, made up of Kelly Borter, Kaitlyn Black, Justin Clements and Katie Landwehr.

Then at 7:00 p.m. the Princess and Prince Contest will take place. This event is sponsored by Ripley Publishing Company, publishers of the Osgood Journal and The Versailles Republican. This is the 42nd year for the Princess Contest and the 18th year for the Prince Contest.

First graders from area schools will compete for the titles. Candidates are: Kaylynn Baluyot and Maverick Dwenger, Jac-Cen-Del; Shelby Wullenweber and Ethan Snapp, Milan; Rebecca Broadus and Randy Correll, South Ripley; Grace Heppner and Kevin Bedel, Batesville; Kendall Gindling and Kurtis Fox, St. Nicholas; Shannon Deal and Zachary Garcia, St. Louis Catholic; Allison Trabel and Alex Doll, Sunman.

Winners of the 16th Annual Pumpkin Show Baking Contest, sponsored by Ripley Publishing Company, will be announced on stage. The baking contest will take place during the day on Thursday, with entries being accepted at the newspaper office at 115 S. Washington Street, from 8-10:00 a.m. Then the entries will be judged by area home economists and a bake sale will begin at 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. at the newspaper office.

Baker Motor Company will present the "Best Baker Award" to the top entry. The winner will receive $200 along with a plaque. The common theme to enter something in the baking contest is that everything must contain pumpkin!

High School seniors will be screaming for their team as a boy and girl from area schools compete in the 16th Annual Pie Eating Contest. What flavor are the pies? Pumpkin, of course.

The evening will end with live music from Firm Foundation, a well-known gospel quartet.

Friday night will be another fun-filled one with Country Station WUBE, B-105, FM broadcasting live from the Pumpkin Show, sponsored by Tom Tepe Autocenter, Milan. Lo
cal favorite Laura Iceberg will perform along with Ridge Runner. Then national recording group Blue Country will take center stage, providing a free concert. Their debut single, "Good Little Girls" struck country radio airwaves on September 29, 2003.

Saturday the rides will open at 9:00 a.m. Then at 10:15 a.m. the National Anthem will be sung by Scott Holdsworth, which will hail the beginning of the parade.

The parade will begin at the old Tyson School building and those wanting to participate may pick up an entry form at the Tyson United Methodist Church. There is no pre-registration, just get in line early on Saturday morning.

This year participants are asked to limit the number of entries with no more than three cars, trucks, machinery, etc. for each entry.

Those wanting to participate in the parade by handing out candy, etc. are asked to not throw the items from the floats into the crowd. Floats or marchers who violate this request, will be asked to not participate in future parades. Members of the Lions Club ask people to help with this problem to protect the children.

Immediately following the parade, the Versailles Fire Department will be offering chicken dinners at the fire house.

The great pumpkin weigh-in, one of the highlights of the entire festival, will take place on Saturday, at 1:00 p.m. at the grandstand.

The afternoon line-up will include the Kid's Pedal Tractor Pull at 2:00 p.m. You can register to participate at 1:00 p.m. at the Lion's Club tent next to the center stage.

In the afternoon, the group Raydio Flyers will perform from 2:30-4:30, followed by the Cheerleading Contest at 5:00 p.m., where 14 local schools have been invited to take part.

Local band 650north, comprised of Josh Lohrum, Matt Schuerman, Andrew Vollmer and Chris Bultman, all of Osgood, will take the stage at 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the Pumpkin Show you can go online at www.versaillespumpkinshow.com or email www.versailleslionsclub.com.