The Diamonds in the Fall Festival is set for Saturday, Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but unlike recent years, will not feature the well-attended Trunk or Treat event on the Pike County Courthouse Square. The latter event will be reserved for Halloween on Tuesday, Oct. 31, starting at 5 p.m.
In conjunction with the fall festival, the Murfreesboro High School junior class will also be conducting their annual fall carnival on the square instead of at the high school. They will be hosting various game booths and a bounce house, with tickets costing $1 each, and will host a free costume contest at 2 p.m. on the stage. Divisions for the contest are 0-2 years, 3 years-kindergarten, 1st-3rd grades and 4th-6th grades.
The festival will feature live music – beginning at noon – provided by the Hempstead County Melody Boys.
Also included will be food and vendors.
A dachshund “weenie dog” race has been scheduled for 5 p.m. on the square with prizes to be awarded to the winner. Dogs may be entered in the race ahead of the event by contacting Cassidy Billings via Facebook or at the event prior to the race. The entry fee will be by donation at the registration desk located near the stage.
Prior to the race, a pet costume contest will be held at 4:30 p.m. with prizes for the winners.
The fall festival parade will start at 5:30 p.m. with line-up at the former Pike County Hospital at 5 p.m. The parade, featuring Diamonds in the Fall Festival pageant winners and MHS cheerleaders, will run down Washington Street to the parking lot of Harvill Insurance. All interested persons are invited to be a part of the parade, including floats, vehicles and horses.
A cornhole tournament hosted by the Stelltown Baggers will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Harvill Insurance parking lot north of the square. The format will be a round-robin double-elimination tournament in which participants are asked to bring their own partner and bags. There is a $50 entry fee for teams, and depending on sponsors, the minimum monetary prizes will be $800 add-plus.
Lifeshare Blood Services’s bloodmobile will be set up for donations in front of Jackson Title.
