Twin Cities welcomes visitors for 2019 Banana Festival events

The official start of the 2019 Banana Festival is less than two weeks away, as pageants are scheduled for this Saturday, to select the Banana Royalty to reign over this year’s festivities. (See pageant story, page 10).

On Sept. 14, the Fulton Police Department will stage the Pistol and Turkey Shoot beginning at 8 a.m. at the FPD Shooting Range on Park Road. Entry fee is $20.

Also on Sept. 14, entries will be accepted for the Banana Festival Photography contest, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pontotoc Community Center building, downtown Fulton.

The Kids Day at Fulton Airport is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a free event Sept. 14 and the Banana Scramble golf event is scheduled for 12 noon at Fulton Country Club, with a $30 per person or $120 per team entry fee.

The Grand Banana Ball is at 7 p.m. Sept. 14 at Buck’s Celebration Center in South Fulton.

On Sun., Sept. 15, photo contest entries may be dropped off at the Pontotoc building from 1-5 p.m. and also on Monday, Sept. 16, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Banana Festival Fashion Show begins at 6:30 p.m. at Buck’s Celebration Center, with tickets at $20 each or a table of eight, $150.

The school art contest and photo contest judging will take place on Tues., Sept. 17.

On Sept. 18, Tyson Foods will host a free community meal at 5 p.m., downtown Fulton, the first time event, Banana Pudding Cook-off fundraiser for non-profits is at 5:30 p.m. at the Pontotoc building, with admission a $5 donation and the Chalk Art contest gets underway at 5:30 p.m. in South Fulton’s Unity Park. At 6 p.m., Faith and Family Night, sponsored by area churches, will take place on the Unity Park stage.

Vendors will begin to set up downtown on Thursday, Sept. 19, with the Senior Citizens Rook Tournament in the Pontotoc Building at 9 a.m. and Fulton’s Got Talent at 7 p.m. on the Unity Park Stage.

Friday, Sept. 20, the Banana Bake Off gets underway at 7:30 a.m., with entries accepted from then until 8:45 and judging at 9 a.m. at the Pontotoc building.

Also on Friday, a free Health Fair will be held at Fulton’s First Baptist Church from 9-11 a.m., the winner of the 2018 Fulton’s Got Talent event will take the Unity Park stage at 7 p.m. for a free concert by the Band Trippp; at 8 p.m., The Motown Sounds of Touch will perform for a free concert on Unity Park’s stage and a Street Dance will be held on Lake Street, downtown Fulton, in front of the band stand from 9-11 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 21 is a full day to conclude the 2019 Banana Festival, with the Rotary Club Car Show registration from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Lake Street in Fulton; the Banana 5K registration to begin at 7 a.m. and start at 8 a.m., on Walnut Street in front of Raise The Bar gym, $20 entry fee; the Banana Eating contest set for 10 a.m. in front of the Lake Street band stand; and the Banana Brawl wrestling event in Pontotoc Park at 11 a.m.

At 2:30 p.m., the Doggy Pageant takes place on the Pontotoc Park stage, $10 entry fee, and then the Lions Club Grand Parade begins at 5 p.m. on Broadway in South Fulton, through Fulton’s Lake Street, ending with the serving of free One Ton Banana Pudding in the area of Pontotoc Park.

At 7 p.m., the 2019 Fulton’s Got Talent winner will perform a free concert on the Unity Park stage, with the main headliner, Exile, to perform a free concert beginning at 8:30 p.m.

This year’s Banana Cabana will have souvenir Banana Festival items available for sale inside the Pontotoc building from Wednesday, through Saturday.

For more information, visit www.thebananafestival.com or contact the Fulton Tourism Commission at 270-472-9000.