St. Joseph Community Festival brings history to present
BY JESSICA SCHLUTER
Mike Peters has been helping with the St. Joseph Community Festival in some way for 15 years.
Peters is a life-long resident of St. Joseph, and a long-time village employee.
“Full time, I’ve worked for the village for 26 years. Part-time, I’ve helped them on and off since the 70s.”
“I was born and raised here. I was gone for a year in Urbana but that’s it.”
Peters can’t remember exactly when the festival started, but he remembers it as far back as 1972.
“It’s been going on at least since ‘72, because that’s when the Centennial was and that’s when everything was uptown. How far before 72? I don’t know. It has been going on every year since 72.”
The yearly event is known by several names; the Fall Flop, the Fall Festival, Community Festival, and more. Whatever it is called, the festival is a tradition for St. Joseph residents. For many, it marks the end of summer.
“This is more or less the last hurrah before school starts.”
This year the festival falls on August 8th, 9th, and 10th.
“It’s always the second full weekend in August. It’ll be a little bit later next year because of the leap year.”
Peters is heavily involved in organizing the festival. Along with a committee, he starts planning the next year’s festival pretty soon after the end of the festivities. They also get help from the American Legion.
“I’m more or less the President of the St. Joseph Community Council. There’s currently 4 of us on the committee. It’s always been 4 or 5.”
“The American Legion has the contract for the carnival. The Community Council doesn’t deal with any of that, the Legion takes care of it.”
Peters has some experience with fairs outside of the Community Festival.
“I call this my second rodeo. The first one is in June, I’m on the Vermillion County Fair Board. I’m in charge of the outside vendors over there.”
According to Peters, it’s just as much work him to plan the St. Joseph festival as it is to do his part for the Vermillion County Fair.
For years, the Festival was held at Kolb Park. However, this will be the third consecutive year that the Festival is held at the St. Joseph Community Park. The switch to the new park has been met with mixed feelings from festival-goers.
“I think people around Kolb Park are happy. Some of the older people are not happy with it moving up there because it’s farther to walk.”
The move to the Community Park has given the Festival more room for rides and vendors and more parking.
“I think there’s been a little bit more of a crowd because the carnival has been able to bring in more rides.”
In the past, there has typically been a street dance with a DJ or a beer tent with a band. This year, there won’t be a beer tent up at the park.
“Numbers may be down this year, there’s no beer tent or band at the park, but there will be fireworks on Saturday night like usual.”
There will be a beer tent with a band, Wreckless Whiskey, in the St. Joseph IGA parking lot the Saturday night of the Festival.
This year will have traditional events such as the Pancake Breakfast at the Fire Department, the Mutt Show, the parade, a Kiddie Tractor Pull, the Little Prince and Princess contest, and more.
According to Peters, the festival usually brings in people from other towns as well as St. Joseph residents, mostly for the carnival rides.
“Other than Sidney, we’re the only one close that has carnival rides.”
Peters and other Village employees work hard to get ready for the event.
“Next week will be a busy week for all of us at the village. We’ll be spending all week out there weed eating, spraying, sprucing things up, moving stuff around, getting it ready for everyone to start moving everything in about mid-week.”
His favorite part about the festival is the preparation. That, and the food.
“My favorite part is getting ready for it, getting everything set up, and praying for no rain.”
“Make sure to bring an appetite, there’s lots of good food.”
More information on the St. Joseph Community Festival can be found here.
2019 St. Joseph Community Festival Schedule
August 8, 9, 10
Thursday, Aug. 8
5 p.m. American Legion Fish Fry
5 p.m. UMC Ms. Piggy’s Pork Chops & Grilled Chicken
5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Carnival Rides, Games, Food-Armbands for rides
9 p.m. Legion 50/50 drawing
Friday, August 9
5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Carnival Rides, Food, Games-Armbands for Rides
5 p.m. American Legion Fish Fry
5 p.m. UMC Ms. Piggy’s Pork Chops & Grilled Chicken
6 p.m. Quilts for Valor Presentation
6:30 p.m. Little Prince and Princess Coronation
7 p.m. SJO FFA Kiddie Tractor Pull
9 p.m. Legion 50/50 drawing
Saturday, August 10
6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Department Pancake Breakfast
10:30 a.m. Mutt Show
Noon-10 p.m. Carnival Rides, Games, Food-Armbands for rides
Noon UMC Ms. Piggy’s Pork Chops & Grilled Chicken
3 p.m. Community Festival Parade, Begins at St. Joseph Middle School (Lineup begins at 2 p.m.)
4 p.m. American Legion Fish Fry
5 p.m. Gallo Dance Studio Performance (basketball court)
8:30 p.m. Legion 50/50 drawing
Dusk: Aerial Fireworks Display @ Community Park
