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Mt. Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce
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Biggest Area Festival

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 56th Apple Butter Makin' Days 2022
October 7-9, free to attend
Bring the whole family
Hours 9-6 Fri, Sat; 10-4 Sun

ABMD PLATINUM SPONSORS​

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Click Here - Crafter Application 2022 ABMD

GEEZER to headline at Apple Butter Makin' Days

(4) Geezer The Band | Facebookwww.facebook.com/geezertheband
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THE PREMIER EVENT IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
APPLE BUTTER MAKIN' DAYS

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Live Entertainment all weekend long!
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Craft and food booths around the Historic Square including Apple Butter
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Amazing wiener dog races in Spirit of '76 Park on Saturday

Would you love to be part of our parade? Click on the file to find the form, complete and mail or email in to reserve your spot. Best part - it's free!
parade_registration_2021.pdf
File Size: 161 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


Next Event - October 7-9, 2022!

We invite everyone to Stir the Pot and learn how apple butter is made on the historic Lawrence County Courthouse lawn. Featuring 450+ booths of handmade crafts, this event draws nearly 90,000 visitors each year. The faire style food supports Lawrence County non-profit organizations and offers a great variety for your taste buds. This free festival has been pleasing crowds for over 50 years and just keeps getting better. Bring your friends, bring your family and prepare yourself for the best Fall Festival experience on the scenic streets of Mt. Vernon, Missouri. Oct 8-10th 2021. Be There, On The Square!

FRIDAY EVENT SCHEDULE

Before dawn            Apple Butter Makin’ Begins on Courthouse Lawn                         
9:00 a.m.                     National Anthem sung by Jessa Anderson, Kassidy Anderson &
                                                                              Anna Crouch
9:00 am.                      BOOTHS OPEN
                                   
9:10 a.m.                     Pet Parade
9:30 a.m.                     TERRAPIN Race* (Adjacent to the main stage)-
9:50 a.m.                     Bubble Gum Blowing Contest
10:05 a.m.                   Apple Pie Eating Contest-
10:20 a.m.                   Husband calling contest
10:30 a.m.                   Nail Driving
10:50 a.m.                   Apple Golf
11:10 a.m.                   Best Beard and Mustache Contest
11:30 a.m.                   KIDS PEDAL TRACTOR PULL-(NORTHWEST CORNER OF SQUARE)
 
11:30 a.m.                   Eddie Valen Band      
 
1:00 p.m.                     Apple Butter Queen Crowned- Mid-Missouri Bank
 
1:10 p.m.                     Community Foundation Awards                   
 
1:30 p.m.                     Apple Pie Baking Contest Winners Announced
 
1:35 p.m.                     Lexi Weldy
 
2:00 p.m.                     Bridgetones                           
 
3:00 p.m.                     MVHS Show Choir
 
3:45 p.m.                     Coquettes      
 
4:05 p.m.                      Jessa and Kassidy Anderson
 
4:25 p.m.         ​             Briton Szydloski
 
5:00  p.m.                     Quantum Athletics                
 
6:00 p.m.         BOOTHS CLOSE
 
 
 
Contestants for the contests need to report to the stage area at least 15 minutes before the contest times as the stated times are approximations.

​Activities in ALL CAPS will not take place on the Apple Butter Makin’ Days stage.
                                    *Sponsors listed in italics
                                    Masters of Ceremonies:  Mike Baker
                                    PA System: Big Rigs (The Sound Farm)


SATURDAY EVENT SCHEDULE



Before Dawn                     Round Grove Apple Butter Making begins on the Lawn-Court House
8:45 a.m.                            God Bless America
                                             sung by Jessa Anderson, Kassidy Anderson & Anna Crouch
 
9:00 a.m.                            APPLE BUTTER MAKIN’ DAYS PARADE
                                             Booths Open
                                              
10:30 a.m.                         Flying Buzzards (Blue Grass)
 
11:40 a.m.                         Parade Trophies Announced
 
12:00 p.m.                         Geezer the Band - Sponsored by Ozark Electric        
 
1:45 p.m.                            Timothy Trowbridge
 
2:00 p.m.                            WEENIE DOG RACES  (Spirit of ’76 Park north of the square)
 
2:00 p.m.                            Perpendicular Worship
 
2:45 p.m.                            Sue Ann O’Neal
 
3:40 p.m.                            Dylan Brock
 
4:40 p.m.                            Seconds from Surfing
 
5:30 p.m.                            The Starlettes
 
6:00 p.m.                            BOOTHS CLOSE

​Activities in ALL CAPS will not take place on the Apple Butter Makin’ Days stage.
                                    *Sponsors listed in italics
                                    Masters of Ceremonies:  Mike Baker
                                    PA System: Big Rigs (The Sound Farm)

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SUNDAY EVENT SCHEDULE

​Before dawn                      APPLE BUTTER MAKIN’ BEGINS ON COURTHOUSE LAWN-
 
9:15 a.m.                            Worship Service on the Stage – Round Grove Baptist
 
10:00 a.m.                         BOOTHS OPEN  
 
10:45 a.m.                        Perpendicular Worship                                                                       
 
11:30 a.m.                         Covenant Baptist Worship Team
 
12:10 p.m.                         Adam & Brook Olinger -First Baptist Church
 
1:00 p.m.                            SouleJoie
 
2:15 p.m.                           Ukulele Revial
 
3:00 p.m.                            Richard Woodruff                                                    
 
4:00 p.m.                            BOOTHS CLOSE
                                            
Activities in ALL CAPS will not take place on the Apple Butter Makin’ Days stage.
                                    *Sponsors listed in italics
                                    Master of Ceremonies-  Cassidy Anderson and Nate Fish
                                    PA System: Big Rigs (The Sound Farm)
 

2021 Apple Butter Makin' Days 

Apple Butter Makin' Days, one of Missouri's most popular festivals, has been held on the courthouse square in Mt. Vernon each October since 1967. The main attraction is apple butter, cooked using century-old methods in huge copper kettles over open fires. That craft is demonstrated on the southeast corner of the courthouse lawn starting shortly after dawn and continuing until early to mid-afternoon each day of the festival.

The sale of apple butter has helped fund numerous charitable projects. While the cooking of apple butter is the prime attraction of Apple Butter Makin' Days, other activities compliment the event and provide entertainment and fun for those who attend. Some people still dress in costumes of the era.

The juried festival also includes games, food and entertainment for all ages. The festival draws an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 people for the three day weekend!


Contests
Contests are patterned after the fun of yesteryear and include such things as peddle tractor races and a terrapin race. Other activities that have been favorites for years include the Pet Parade, Bubble Gum Blowing Contest, Apple Pie eating contest, Mustache and Beard Growing Contest and Husband Calling.  The crowing of the Apple Butter Queen and other fun games, you can be guaranteed to smile.  And don't forget the Weiner Dog Races in Spirit of '76 park, they always draw a crowd.

Cooking on the Courthouse Lawn
Large copper kettles, many of which are over 100 years old, are placed on open fires hours before daybreak. Then, apples which are peeled the day before, are placed in the kettles along with water , and the mixture is stirred with long wooden paddles to prevent sticking and burning. Toward the end of the twelve-hour cooking time, sugar and spices are added to give the distinctive taste. In the mid-afternoon, the apple butter is ladled into jars and sealed.

Fun for the Kids!
Kids of all ages enjoy Apple Butter Makin' Days! The three-day schedule is designed to involve and entertain the youngsters. By the end of the festival the children will have had numerous opportunities to enter the contests and compete for the many prizes available.  Nothing makes people smile more than watching the youngsters participate in the activities provided! All children enjoy the bubble gum blowing contest, terrapin race, pet parade, apple pie eating contest, etc. Plus the Kidzone has invited White Tiger Discovery area this year along with pony and camel rides for the kids. Don't miss it!

The Food
A wide variety of food is provided by local organizations and churches to make sure that none of the thousands of visitors arriving daily experience hunger pains! With all the choices available, the decision of what to eat becomes a difficult one! The best thing to do is to eat a little of everything!


Parade on Saturday Morning
One of the largest parades in the area is held on the Saturday of Apple Butter Makin' Days.  The route takes us east on Sloan turning north on Hickory Street, then winding around the historic courthouse on the square, ending at Gibbs Park on the corner of Market and South Street.  Floats, numerous bands, antique cars and horses fill the streets as children are mesmerized by the awe of it all.  We start at 9 a.m. sharp so don't miss a minute of the fun.


  • Kettle Corn
  • Apple Dumplings
  • Caramel Apples
  • Cheesecake
  • Apple Cider
  • Bratwurst and polish sausage
  • Funnel cakes
  • ​Wood Fired Pizza
  • Roasted Corn on the Cob
  • ​Snow Cones
  • Hot roasted peanuts
  • Turkey drumsticks
  • Stuffed Baked Potatoes
  • Taco Salads
  • Hamburgers and hot dogs
  • ​Pork Rinds
  • Tornado Potato
  • Pulled Pork
  • Pretzels
  • And more! 
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Entertainment
Be prepared to be entertained when you arrive at the Apple Butter Makin' Day festivities! Musical and dramatic entertainment abounds. A Saturday morning parade has always been a highlight of the festival. Not only will you see the Apple Butter Queen crowning, you will listen to country, folk, bluegrass, rock, blues and Christian singers sharing their favorite songs with you! Your foot will tap and your hands will clap in rhythm with the old time fiddle and folk music. We are planning some additional entertainment this year in celebration of our 51st Anniversary to kick off a new era of the festival.

Booth Rental
Over 350 booths of craftsmen from throughout the country traditionally set up booths featuring hand-crafted items, with many craftsmen demonstrating their work.

Booth spaces are available for hand-crafted items made by the exhibitor. We encourage people to demonstrate their craft at the booth. For information about whether your craft qualifies, rental and jury fees, etc., contact: Mount Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 373, Mount Vernon, MO 65712, (417) 466-7654, Booth spaces are limited, so be sure to contact us as early as possible! 


Nearby RV Parks
We have some nearby offerings for those crafters and visitors that bring their own home on wheels. In Carthage contact Ballard's Campground 417-359-0359 or Coachlight RV Park 417-358-3666. Springfield offers the Route 66 KOA, 417-831-3645. 


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Mt. Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce
425 E. Mount Vernon Blvd.  |  Mount Vernon, MO 65712  |  (417) 466-7654
(​Mailing Address PO Box 373)

Copyright © 2017, Mt. Vernon Area Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved.
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    • Calendar of Events
    • Apple Butter Makin' Days
    • 2021 Holiday Central
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