The Champ Clark Heritage Festival, presented by the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce and the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced today that plans have started to come together for the one-day festival now in its 21st year.
The Champ Clark Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of history, agriculture, small business, and Bowling Green’s favorite son, Champ Clark. The festival draws hundreds to downtown Bowling Green annually and brings together historians, music-lovers, artisans, and residents from throughout the region.
This year the festival’s steering committee has chosen the theme, “Salute to the Red, White and Blue.”
The Clark Heritage Festival Steering Committee say they chose the theme because it both celebrates Bowling Green’s unique history as being the epicenter of Missouri political life and pays tribute to America’s veterans and current members of the armed forces. Heritage Festival officials say they encourage the entire community to display American flags at their private residences in the weeks leading up to the 2016 Heritage Festival, including that day.
Organizers say they are working to ensure that the festival will continue to have crowd-pleasers like the Vintage Car Show hosted by the Bowling Green Lions Club, the Quilt Show, and children’s’ carnival games.
Another feature of this year’s Champ Clark Heritage Festival is the return of the float contest. More information about the float competition will be announced in the coming weeks, but organizers say they encourage all civic groups, student organizations, and community members to consider constructing a float for this year’s parade.
Serving as Grand Marshal for this year’s Heritage Festival parade will be Missouri State Representative Jim Hansen (R-Frankford).
In addition to past favorites, the festival will feature several new events this year, including a high school marching band competition, featuring high school marching bands from throughout the states of Missouri and Illinois.
The high school bands will march in the parade that begins in the Bowling Green High School Parking Lot. The bands will be judged and awards will be presented to the bands deemed Best of Show.
Organizers say they are still accepting vendor registration. Vendor registration forms are available on the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce’s website or by contacting the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce at 324-3733.
The 21st Annual Champ Clark Heritage Festival takes place on Saturday, Sept. 10. The festival is held in downtown Bowling Green from 9 a.m. to 4. Visit bgchamber.org for more information about this year’s Champ Clark Heritage Festival and vendor registration forms.