The Bell Tower Festival, slated for June 8-10 in Jefferson, will include a free carnival.
Sweet Fun Carnival & Concessions of Queen City, MO, will be part of this year’s festival, bringing several hard rides and inflatables to the downtown square. The carnival rides and attractions are free for visitors throughout the weekend.
“In an effort to increase the number of guests at the festival and create a family-friendly atmosphere, we wanted to send a message we are serious about it by making the carnival free for everyone,” said Michael Reese, Greene County Chamber & Tourism interim director. “We have worked extremely hard to get a model in place with Sweet Fun Carnival & Concessions to have it happen We couldn’t have done it without working hand-in-hand with them.”
The Chamber is “doubling down with creating a family-friendly atmosphere,” according to Reese, by bringing the “Fire Inside” Christian music tour to the festival Saturday. 70xForgiven and Ammunition will play, with a possibility of more bands being added.
The stage will be in the 200 block of E. State St, near the Sierra Theatre. The start time will be some time during the afternoon, depending on the number of pre-sold tickets. The show will work with other aspects of the festival to compliment other events and attractions.
Emanuel John Navarro Rodriguez, lead singer of 70xForgiven describes his group’s music as “a rocked-up version of worship, although we are unashamed to slow things down and enter into a deeper place of worship as well as in our ministry on stage.”
Adding to the fun of the festival will be an attempt at setting a Guinness world record for the most coffee beans moved with chopsticks in one minute. The current record is 48.
“Playing off the theme of Carnival Lights and Rockin’ Nights, what better way to provide a little more of a carnival-like atmosphere than try to attempt a silly world record? It’s just another small example of how we are changing things p to boost the excitement of the Bell Tower Festival,” Reese said.
Watch for an announcement of the time and place for the world record attempt.
Watch also for more information about a ProAm golf outing Saturday morning at the Jefferson Community Golf Course, starting at 8 am.
The celebrities attending will be announced prior to the festival. Tentatively, they will be primarily former collegiate and professional athletes, Reese said.
After playing nine holes of golf, they’ll join the Bell Tower Festival parade.
The parade, which is hosted by the Jefferson Rotary Club, will follow the usual route north on Chestnut St from the high school, and then west on Lincoln Way and south on Vine St to the middle school.
