Summertime and festivals go hand-in-hand here in St. Joe County. We start out with Water Festival here in Three Rivers, Covered Bridge Days in Centreville, Riverfest in Mendon and we sort of wrap up summer with HarmonyFest back here in Three Rivers. It’s sort of the “Last Hurrah” before school starts and, for those of you who remember, the last weekend folks should wear their white shoes. There’s nothing you can do about the arrival of Labor Day except to enjoy the ride and fire up the grill one more time.
HarmonyFest is a music festival that has been in the planning stages for more than six months and finally comes together for one Sunday afternoon and evening on Labor Day weekend. This year promises to top all of the past 14 years. On Sunday, August 31, Main Street in downtown Three Rivers will be blocked off, the Lions Club will provide tables and vendors will set up their stands. The Three Rivers Community Schools will provide the band shell, and the stage will be set. The music will start around 2 P.M. and will continue until 11 P.M. There will, of course, be Kid Fest and once again, there will be a guitar contest. Among the performers, you’ll hear and see Gypsi Fari, Kennedy’s Kitchen, One Accord, Whistle Pigs, and the main event of the evening, The Kelly Richey Band. The evening will wrap up with The Elwood Splinters Blues Band. I’m sure there will be a few surprises throughout the evening. The remarkable thing about all of this is that it is all FREE. L.A.’s Coffee Cafe and Matt and Mike’s are but two of several merchants that offer the opportunity for you to be a part of HarmonyFest. You can do your part by donating a few dollars when you visit these merchants. You’ll feel great in doing so and the HarmonyFest committee will definitely appreciate your contribution.
This Saturday, August 23, the Pregnancy Helpline of Three Rivers will hold their annual Life Walk. The purpose of the walk is to raise community awareness of the Pregnancy Helpline and their many free programs. It will also raise funds to help with their operating expenses. If you’d like to be a part of this very important project, the walk will begin at the pavilion in the park directly behind Pizza Hut in Three Rivers. Registration is at 8:30 A.M. and the two-mile Life Walk will step off at 9.
If having breakfast out suits your fancy, then you’ll want to mark Sunday, August 24, on your calendar. The Thunderbirds Youth Group of Three Rivers Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #2303 will host an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 8 A.M. until noon. The Eagles is located in the blue building across the highway from Three Rivers Middle School on East Hoffman Street. Price for the breakfast is $5 for adults, and kids ages 2 through 12 eat for $2.50. All kinds of breakfast items will be available.
The St. Joe County Conservation & Sportsman Club will host their 54th Annual Outdoor Sporting Jubilee on Sunday, September 7, starting at 9 A.M. Some of the events you can participate in are trap & skeet shooting, archery, and the defensive pistol shoot. Gate prizes will be given out every hour and you can shoot for prizes. Food will be available and best of all, admission and parking are FREE. The club is located at 23640 Featherstone Road, east of Shimmel, near Glen Oaks. For more information, please call Allen Kasdorf at 651-7086 or Jeff Brazo at 651-9076.
As always, there are plenty of activities going on in and around Three Rivers. Some are publicized and some are by word-of-mouth. Many are listed here in “Out and About.” Many of the events are FREE, and they are all worth checking out.
Think about this, if you will: What happens if you are scared half to death, twice?
See you Out and About.