Next weekend, thousands of people will visit Whitesboro to celebrate the town’s 58th annual Peanut Festival, hosted by the Whitesboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The event runs Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
After a welcome from Whitesboro Mayor Dave Blaylock on the Main Stage (located at Center and Main Streets), the parade will begin at 10 a.m. This year’s parade theme is “Peanuts in Paris,” focusing on the 2024 Olympics.
Following the parade, attendees can enjoy a day of food, fun and live entertainment. More than 200 vendor booths will line the streets of downtown, providing a multitude of shopping opportunities.
Attendees should also visit the car show at Trollinger Park. Presented in part by the Southern Cross Car Club, the show will feature cars, trucks and motorcycles. Live music by TNT and the Smoking Horn Section will entertain folks and awards will be presented at 3 p.m.
In the parking lot behind Past & Blast, a food court will offer a variety of food and drinks. A stage with music will entertain crowds while they eat. There will also be three drink booths setup throughout this year’s festival.
The First United Methodist Church (FUMC) will be providing their popular barbecue lunch. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., festival-goers can purchase a meal of brisket and pork for just $10 at the church.
Announcements and live entertainment will be held on the Main Stage all day long, with the band Blackout Betty headlining the lineup in the afternoon.
Gospel singers will be performing in front of the post office throughout the day.
This year’s carnival has been relocated to the vacant parking lot behind the new Tenders BBQ (formerly Dickey’s BBQ) at Hwy. 377 and Hwy. 82. The carnival will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Parking is available in the field behind Sonic. Wristband pre-sales will begin Monday, Oct. 14. Wristbands purchased in advance are $25 each; those purchased the day of are $30. These wristbands are only accepted on Thursday and Friday and allow users to go on as many rides as they like.
More fun for the kids can be found at Kid Alley in the Church of Christ parking lot (at the corner of Union and Wainwright Streets). From 10 a.m. to noon, McDonald’s Grimace will make an appearance.
This year, the Whitesboro Chamber is selling tickets for the chance to win a 2024 Chevy Silverado. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased via Venmo (@WhitesboroChamberofCommerce) or by calling the Chamber at 903-564-3331.
With several road closures throughout downtown, festival-goers are welcome to park at the Whitesboro High School and Whitesboro Middle School parking lots. A free shuttle will transport people into town for the day’s festivities.
For continued fun, everyone is welcome to attend a Peanut Festival After Party held at Cook’s Main Stage in downtown Whitesboro. From 7-10 p.m., The Fortunate Sons will provide live entertainment and barbecue will be available for purchase on-site. Door prizes will be given away, and attendees (who are 21 and up) can BYOB. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite.com or at Cook’s Main Street Mercantile until Oct. 16. (This event is not part of the Whitesboro Chamber of Commerce.)
Watch for a full schedule of events to be published in next week’s issue of the Whitesboro News-Record.
