"The Grape Festival is all about tradition," says Chris Martini, co-chair of the 117th Annual Tontitown Grape Festival. "We're celebrating the harvest, the dinners, family time and just tradition."
After 117 years of hosting one of the biggest festivals in Northwest Arkansas, the planning committee and team of volunteers in Tontitown know how to put on a festival with something for everyone. You can expect fair food, rides, music, history, crafts and tradition at the grape festival. There will be lots to do and see (and eat!), but Martini says there are a few things you absolutely can't miss when you make it out to Tontitown this week. Following are those suggestions, with help from Martini:
FAQ
WHEN — Tuesday-Saturday, Aug. 8
WHERE — St. Joseph’s Parish, 154 E Henri De Tonti Blvd, Tontitown
COST — Free admission & parking, $25 carnival arm bands
INFO — tontitowngrapefesti…
Schedule of Events
All events take place on the grounds of the St. Joseph’s Parish in Tontitown
Tuesday
5-11 p.m. — Carnival arm bands available
7 p.m. — Grape stomp
7 p.m. — Breaking Silence
9 p.m. — Chase Bryant
Wednesday
5-11 p.m. Carnival arm bands available
7 p.m. — Grape stomp
7 p.m. — Mike & Grady Band
9 p.m. — Gwen Sebastian
Thursday
1-4 p.m. — Museum open
3-10 p.m. — Church gift shop open & church tours
3-10 p.m. — Arts & crafts fair
4:30-8:30 p.m. — Italian spaghetti dinners served
5-11 p.m. — Carnival arm bands available
7 p.m. — Leslie Serrano Band
9 p.m. — Ricochet
Aug. 7
1-7 p.m. — Museum open
1-10 p.m. — Church gift shop open & church tours
3-10 p.m. — Arts & crafts fair
4:30-8:30 p.m. — Italian spaghetti dinners served
5-11 p.m. — Carnival arm bands available
7 p.m. — Pamela K Ward & The Last Call Orchestra
9 p.m. — Coronation of the 117th Queen Concordia
10 p.m. — The Shotgun Billies
Aug. 8
7 a.m. — Run for the Grapes 5K walk/run
8 a.m. — Run for the Grapes Kids Fun Run
10 a.m.-7 p.m. — Museum open
10 a.m.-10 p.m.— Church gift shop open & church tours
10 a.m.-10 p.m. — Arts & crafts fair
noon-11 p.m. — Carnival arm bands available
4:30-8:30 p.m. — Italian spaghetti dinners served
6 p.m. — Kyla Horton Stephens
7 p.m. — Taylor Edward
9 p.m. — Pam Tillis
11 p.m. — Grand prize giveaway by Queen Concordia 2015
The Five Things You Can't Miss at the 117th Tontitown Grape Festival
- The traditional spaghetti dinner
"You have to get a dinner, obviously," Martini says. "The volunteers work for more than two weeks to make all the noodles and sauce from scratch. Everyone knows about the spaghetti dinner; you can't miss it." And although that two weeks of man power will produce more than 7,000 plates of spaghetti, they will still run out by the end of the week.
The dinners available 4:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday through Aug. 8 and cost $12 for adults and $6 for kids.
- The grape stomp
"It's just a fun thing for the kids to get up there and get their feet purple in a traditional stomping bucket," Martini says.
The grapes are donated by Ranalli Farms in Tontitown and are available to stomp til your heart's content at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Free entertainment from 11 different music acts
"The music changes every year but this year we've got some up-and-comers as well as some fan favorites, with Pam Tillis as our headliner on Saturday," Martini says.
Live bands will be starting at 7 p.m. every week night and 6 p.m. Aug. 8. Performances will include country music newcomer Chase Bryant, "The Voice" contestant Gwen Sebastian, and headliner Pam Tillis. Check the grape festival website or Facebook page for the full lineup.
- The carnival rides
"This is really ones of the best deals in Northwest Arkansas for entertainment," Martini says. "You buy one armband and then you ride as much as you want all night. This is a really fun family event and for the value, it's a great deal."
Carnival rides will be up and running from 5 to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Aug. 7, and noon to 11 p.m. Aug. 8.
- The crowning of Queen Concordia
"Queen Concordia is another tradition, but it comes with local notoriety," Martini says. "It's really an honor just to be one of the candidates. These girls, and then the winner who is crowned Queen Concordia, are really a representation of the church and the community and the tradition of celebrating of our heritage."
Queen Concordia has always been a part of the Grape Festival and this year's queen will be the 117th in a long line of Tontitown royalty. The ladies have been selling raffle tickets around Northwest Arkansas for the truck giveaway since the first of July. The girl who sold the most tickets will be crowned at 9 p.m. Friday night and she will announce the winner of the 2015 Chevy Silverado at 11 p.m. Aug. 8.
If nothing in Martini's top five sounds like your thing, other highlights of the festival are the made-from-scratch grape ice cream, the arts and crafts fair with local artists and artisans, Run for the Grapes 5K and the truck giveaway. Raffle tickets for the truck will still be available to purchase Tuesday through Aug. 8.
NAN What's Up on 07/31/2015