Creating a splash In Tontitown, it's all about the grapes : and spaghetti

By Sandra Cox

Posted: July 31, 2009 at 7:34 a.m.

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TONTITOWN — Last year, when Mike Franco was asked what's new at the Tontitown Grape Festival, he had a standard response: nothing. All thetraditions that made the event famous are intact.

This year, that's changed.

A new carnival, with new attractions, will roll into town when the annual event opens Tuesday for a five-day run at the St. Joseph Catholic Church's grounds for the 111th time.

"They call them 'spectaculars,'" said Franco, the Grape Festival chairman. "So, hopefully, we'll have a new carnival and a new midway that should offer more improved and exciting rides."

He said the rides will be larger than in years past and include one namedThe Yo-Yo, which takes full advantage of centrifugal force, and another that bears the likeness of a Viking ship that swings back and forth.

And then the traditions continue.

"Basically we're offering the same thing we've always offered," Franco said.

Among the more popular features, if not the most popular, are the spa-ghetti dinners, which are made with homemade pasta and a special sauce that has been passed down through generations, served with fried chicken.

Even the prices are the same as last year. Cost for the dinners is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Also making a return is Carnival Armband Night where, for $20, festival-goers are offered unlimited carnival rides for the night.

The arts-and-crafts fair also makes its return along with grape stomps, tours through the Tontitown Historical Museum, a 5K walk and run along with a kids' "fun run" and, of course, the coronation of the Queen Concordia.

History buffs will want to check out the book "This Little Place: The Founding of Tontitown, Arkansas, 1898-1917" by Susan Young, outreach coordinator at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. She will be on hand to sign her book Thursday, Aug. 7 and Aug. 8.

Growing in popularity, Franco said, is the live entertainment. This year, several nationally known acts will take the stage opened by local acts.

Tuesday night's entertainment includes Kelly Road followed by headliner Joey + Rory. The husband-and-wife duo consisting of Joey Martin and Rory Feek became household names several months ago following the national singing contest/reality show called "Can You Duet" on CMT.

Their album, "The Life of a Song," peaked last year at No.

10 on Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart .

Performing Wednesday night is Meagan White and headliner Highway 101, the latter of which scored several hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s with songs like "(Do You Love Me) Just Say Yes," "Who's Lonely Now" and "Somewhere Tonight."

Thursday night's performers are Jason Strode & On the Runwith Mark Wills. Wills gained fame in the late 1990s and early this decade with "Don't Laugh at Me," "Back at One" and "Almost Doesn't Count."

Performing Friday are Maud Crawford and The Paul Amstutz Band and on Saturday, Kyla Horton, One Night Stand and Ty Herndon.

Herndon made a name for himself in the 1990s with "What Mattered Most," "Living in a Moment," "It Must Be Love" and "A Man Holdin' On (To a Woman Letting Go)."

"Our entertainment has really improved," Franco said.

"What's wonderful about it is that there's no cost; it's free. We don't charge to park. We don't charge an entrance fee. You can go up there, sit down and watch the entertainment and not spend a dime if you don't want to."

Entertainment, Pages 18, 19 on 07/31/2009

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