Arkansas group backs out of festival with dropped turkeys

A live turkey falls from a plane over a field Oct. 14 during Yellville’s Turkey Trot festival. Despite outcry from animal-welfare activists, federal officials say such flights violate no regulations.
A live turkey falls from a plane over a field Oct. 14 during Yellville’s Turkey Trot festival. Despite outcry from animal-welfare activists, federal officials say such flights violate no regulations.

YELLVILLE — The sponsor of a northern Arkansas festival during which live turkeys are dropped from an airplane says it will no longer promote the event.

The Yellville Chamber of Commerce said Friday that while its goal is to promote local businesses, the Turkey Trot festival has become detrimental to them. It's not yet known whether the event will continue under a different sponsor.

Yellville has held the festival for 72 years, billing the second weekend of October as a homecoming event for the town. The tradition of a "Phantom Pilot" dropping live birds to crowds below began 50 years ago.

Complaints that the turkey drop amounts to animal abuse have grown in recent years. The Federal Aviation Administration has investigated but says it has found no reason to intervene.

Sign up for breaking news
& daily updates delivered
right to your inbox.




Upcoming Events