Tontitown, Arkansas - Fun was abundant at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival with attendees enjoying music, carnival rides and games, and wine tasting.
As Chris Martini, 2010 Grape Festival Chairman, said in the video above, people attending the
112th Tontitown Grape Festival can expect “A lot of fun. A lot of things to do. Plenty of activity. Plenty of choices.”
A program distributed at the festival states, “It’s about tradition.”
Part 1 of this two-part series on the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival focused on three of the four features of that tradition: family, faith, and food. This article covers the fourth feature, one highlighted by Martini, which is fun. Anyone expecting to have fun at the festival was not disappointed.
The festival, held August 3 -7, offered some events only on certain days such as the “Grape Stomp,” “Run for the Grapes 5K Walk/Run,” and the “Coronation of the 112th Queen Concordia.” However, there were some other fun activities that could be experienced each day of the festival such as free live entertainment and the carnival.
Ten bands entertained festival attendees including Buddy Jewell, who won the coveted title of USA Network’s first ever Nashville Star, Lee Brice, and bands with Arkansas roots such as Willie Stradlin, Kyla Horton, Charliehorse, and Ryan Couron.
Ryan Couron, who performed on August 6, is an Arkansas native who sings a “southern-rocked fusion of new and traditional country” music. Interestingly, Couron received intensive voice training when he was a teenager taking Gregorian chant classes.
Ryan Couron performs at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Ryan Couran on stage at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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A carnival, with plenty of rides and games, was held as part of the five-day festival. Festival-goers enjoyed riding the traditional ferris wheel along with other rides such as the Hurricane and Viking.
Ferris Wheel at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Hurricane ride at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Younger festival-goers enjoyed the Merry-Go-Round and other childhood favorites.
Children enjoying the Merry-Go-Round at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Attendees were invited by friendly carnies to try their luck at numerous games of chance, with large stuffed animals and small ducks helping to capture their attention.
Prizes for game winners at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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A little girl grabs a duck from the tank. 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Of course it would not be a grape festival without the opportunity to sample wine. St. John Winery and
Post Familie Vineyards offered a wine tasting booth.
Wine tasting at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Bottles of Post Familie Vineyards’ Red Muscadine on ice at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. August 6, 2010. Tontitown, Arkansas.
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Pictures of the “yummy” grape ice cream and homemade spaghetti dinners mentioned in the video above are featured in
Part 1 of this series.
A production crew from LEAF Productions, a Texas based film company, was
filming at the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival. They are currently pitching their idea for a new television show called “Celebrating Festivals” to several national cable networks. Should this venture come to pass, expect to see the 112th Tontitown Grape Festival featured in an episode this fall.
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