Published: October 15, 2009 05:10 pm         

Casey in Action volunteers planning Harvest Festival

CASEY, ILL. — Casey In Action is bringing a new family-oriented event to town. The Harvest Festival is set for Oct. 24 in Fairview Park.

Although the plans continue to grow, key events at this time include a car, truck, motorcycle and tractor show, deejay and live alternative rock music by Cornfield Chaos, a Guitar Hero contest, corn hole tourney, pet costume contest, turn-of-the-century baseball tourney, ham and bean dinner, temporary tattoos, car bash, storybook pumpkin decorating contest, hayride, free movie, and craft and food vendors. The City of Casey has slashed park camping fees from $15 to $5 per night for Oct. 23-24.

The vehicle show starts at 9 a.m. with judging at noon. Entry fee is $10 and 26 trophies will be awarded. Registration is at 10 a.m. for the pet costume contest, with winners to be announced at 4 p.m.

The Guitar Hero Contest starts at 6 p.m. at the bandstand. Entry fee is $5. Three cash prizes will be awarded.

Casey Volunteers in Action, another volunteer group focusing on service to youth, is staging a corn hole tourney for high school students only. This contest will be at 1:30 p.m. on the basketball courts.

A Turn of the Century Baseball Tourney is planned for 1 p.m. at the Truckers diamond. The Casey-Westfield Alumni Association is conducting a car bash. The free movie will be shown at 8 p.m. at the bandstand.

The Casey VFW Post 5762 is serving ham and beans and cornbread at the shelter by the horseshoe pits. Other food vendors include: CIA’s city-wide group with cakes, pies and cookies; CIA National Road Festival group with pop, hot chocolate, coffee and cider; Great House of Pizza with Italian beef; Cathy Smith’s famous cinnamon rolls; Walker’s Kettle Corn; Barbecue by Aaron Taylor; Lawson Concession’s pork tenderloin, corndogs, fish and fries; Oriental Foods; and funnel cakes and elephant ears by Cherie and Austin Miller. Laura Baston is in charge of food vendors. She can be reached at (217) 932-5173 or by e-mail: la.baston@mchsi.com.

Craft vendors scheduled are Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Lia Sophia, t-shirts, Watkins and Bittersweet, Avon, Thirty-one Gifts, MRO Design, sunglasses and hats, hand made crafts, snow crafts, and Legacies’ Thursday Night Knitting Club. Contact Pam Black at (217) 549-6104 or e-mail neonmoon76@yahoo.com for the craft area information.

Area businesses will bring fall colors to the park with decorative displays. Businesses, organizations or individuals are invited to bring straw, pumpkins, Halloween decorations, etc., and set up a display for all to enjoy. There is no charge for the display space and this may be a good opportunity to advertise a business or group. Anyone interested in providing a display should call Baston. Baston is also taking orders for sponsorship signs.

Handicapped parking will be available near the Lion’s Shelter.

Casey In Action is seeking donations of items or manpower for the festival. The following are needed: Halloween decorations to hang from trees, a hay wagon and tractor, pumpkins for decoration, door prizes from local businesses, lights to hang from trees, and volunteers.

All profit will be split evenly with the City of Casey in appreciation for their support of Casey in Action. Each committee will keep its own proceeds. Casey In Action is an all-volunteer organization aimed at improving the quality of life in Casey. CIA meets each first and third Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Casey Senior Social Center. Everyone is invited to attend. CIA information is also available on its Facebook page, which anyone may request to join.

John Jackson is festival chairman. He can be reached at (217) 276-5335 or by e-mail at tathier@hotmail.com.