The Cantaloupe Festival and Country Fair kicks off at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 26. A weekend-long event presented by CC Communications that is not to be missed. Come enjoy this year's expanded Farmers Market and a full line-up of amazing bands, an array of competitions, and the famous Cantaloupe Daiquiri. There's something for everyone.
Festival Director Adrienne Snow has been in her position for a year now, and said, “So far, it's been fun. Getting to work with this group of people, they are phenomenal. I told them at our last meeting that I am in awe that this group of volunteers has been pulling this off because the amount of work that goes into it is incredible. All the planning is incredible.”
When discussing this year's festival, she commented, “The growth we've experienced this year is significant. I won't have the numbers until this is done, but we've had twice as many visitors on the website already as we did the entire year last year. Ticket sales have been great so far. The last 48 hours before the event is about 50 percent of the total ticket sales.”
The festival growth is not just about attendance. Snow said the festival offerings have grown too. “We've expanding not just the concerts, which were all lined up by Todd Moretto, but also the Farmers Market is going to have more than it ever had before. Laura Chenel Cheese, a Sonoma-based company is sending samples for tastings of their Chevre cheese. People can meet the dairymen who produce the milk that goes to her Sonoma cheese company. Sand Hill Dairy is going to be doing tastings through the weekend as well. Lux Lavendar from Yerington, Venturacci Schuler Beef, Bijou Blooms are all new this year. We have this huge array that we never had before in the Farmers Market.”
The concert lineup includes Candlebox headlining on Friday evening which Snow said was huge in the 1990s. “I hear the first five chords of the song “Far Behind” and it takes me right back to when I was in high school. They were part of the fabric of the coming-of-age generation. Our ticket sales for Candlebox have been significant, and people are coming from miles away to attend. Chancey Williams, the Saturday headliner, is a great fit for the culture of Fallon and Northern Nevada. We'll have the local bands, of course, The Coaches, Larry Little's Great Basin Band, Steve and Raena. Then we also have Reno-based Eric Henry Anderson who is a beautiful pianist and vocalist who will take the stage before Candlebox. The after-party band on Saturday night, after Chancey Williams, will be Rhyolite Sound from Las Vegas, and the energy from their show is amazing. That will be a free show on the Hay Palace stage.”
There's an array of tournaments and competitions scheduled this year. On Saturday, the Car Show Competition will start at 8 a.m. and Kent's Corn Hole Classic starts at 11 a.m. Sunday's line-up starts with a free PIYO (Pilates and Yoga) class at 8 a.m. with Karen Bassham in the Rafter 3C building with required advance online registration. On Sunday for kids, there is the Mutton Bustin’, Calf Riding, and Steer Riding events. Snow said, “The entries for those three Youth Rough Stock events are sold out, and we have a waiting list of 50 more kids for all three. There are 20 Mutton Busters, 20 Calf Riders, and 15 Steer Riders. There's the Cutest Little Cowboy and Cowgirl Contest, and the Skate Competition too.”
Snow also said the pageant for the Cantaloupe Festival King and Queen, Ben and Karen Bassham will be held, and the pair will be doing tastings in the Sand Hill Dairy tent. Both headliner concerts will be held in the Rafter 3C Arena. Troy's Double Shot Bar will be in full swing in The Dry Gulch serving up festival favorite beverages, and the Elks Beer Garden will be serving too. Food and shopping vendors will have a variety of goodies available for sale. Festival hours are Friday, 1 p.m. until midnight, Saturday, 9 a.m. until midnight, and Sunday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. when all vendors will be open.
Visit the Cantaloupe Festival website for the full schedule of events, to purchase tickets, and to register for events and competitions: https://www.falloncantaloupefestival.com/ Information can also be found on the festival's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CantaloupeFest.
Comment
Comments