Pekin Marigold Festival

The Pekin Marigold Festival Committee is happy to announce Ken White as the 2010 Marigold Festival Grand Marshall. He has been a resident of the Pekin community for nearly 40 years. Ken was introduced to the Pekin community when he began his career at Pekin Insurance Company. In 2009, Ken retired from Pekin Insurance after spending 38 years with the company. Ken has been involved with numerous civic organizations. Ken served the United Way of Pekin as a board member, campaign chair and president. To this date, he continues to serve as a division chair during the campaign for funds. Ken has also served on the Board of Directors for the Center for Prevention of Abuse and the Girls Scouts of America Kickapoo Council. He has also been a long time blood/platelet donor to the American Red Cross. Ken is a past president of the Pekin Noteables Parents Group and also serves on the Board of the Pekin Civic Chorus recently completing his 7th show, in which he is a performer and helps with stag

This year the Marigold Festival Committee is proud to crown our 35th Miss Marigold Queen. Beginning in 1973, the Miss Marigold Pageant as become a long-standing tradition of recognizing talented and bright young women with a chance to represent our community during the Marigold Festival weekend and throughout the year. We are especially proud of the pageant's focus on scholarship and in an effort to further recognize that commitment, this year's Queen scholarship will be $2,000 in an effort to better keep pace with the ever-increasing cost of higher education. Entry forms were due June 11th, 2010. We have ELEVEN amazing and fabulous young women vying to be Miss Marigold 2010! This years Miss Marigold Pageant will be held, Saturday, August 14th, at the PCHS F.M. Peterson Theatre.  To view the 2010 Contestants click here: Miss Marigold 2010

Is your pooch the next Top Dog? This is sure to be a Guaranteed Dog-gone good time for furry and not-so-furry friends. Free to enter, Fun to Watch! So pick up Pooch and bring him out Tuesday August 3, 2010 to the Arena, located behind the football stadium in Mineral Springs Park for a tail-waggin great time! No pre-registration necessary. Your doggie may enter as many contests as they choose on Tuesday, August 3rd. Categories Include: Biggest Dog ~ Most Beautiful ~ Tiniest Dog ~ Curliest Dog ~ Best Stupid Pet Trick ~ Best Costume ~ Most Unusual ~ Best Dancer ~ Longest Ears ~ Owner / Dog look alike ~ Best Vocals ~ Waggiest Tail Preliminaries: Tuesday, August 3rd, 7:00pm, Veteran's Memorial Arena (a 4H Fair Event) Finals: The winners of each contest, chosen by audience applause (hint... be sure to bring your friends!) will proceed as contestants to become Pekin's Top Dog. The finals will be held Sunday, September 12th, 3:00pm. For more information, call 347-PARK

The Marigold Festival has always served as a community gathering point, a reunion, where we run into friends and acquaintences that we often only see during that special weekend. It is a great source of nostalgia. It is a wealth of memories and a recall of time well spent. Each of us has our own Marigold Memory or Marigold Moment that is special to us. In an attempt to recapture some of those moments, the Marigold Festival has established the Marigold Festival Museum sponsored by Methodist Medical Center. You will find it in the Mineral Springs Park Pavilion during Festival Weekend. There are displays and memorablia as well as a festival time-line that should help bring your own special memories to mind. Please take a moment to visit and reconnect with a past full of friends, family and memories.

The Jimmy John's Marigold Festival Bag's Tournament is back for the 3rd year. This year's tourney will again guarantee $1000 to the first place team with payouts for the top 6 teams. The tourney will be held on Saturday, September 11th at Mineral Springs Park, Diamond #1. The first round begins at 12:00pm. The game is played similar to horseshoes , but played with corn filled bags which are tossed onto game boards. Again the committee would like to thank Steve Godke for his graphic arts designs, Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes, L.L.C. for printing the posters and entry forms, Able Vault & Monument for the use of their tent and Jimmy Johns for their continued sponsorship and support. Enter early for a discount and come out to the park to enjoy one of the most competitive and lucrative bags tourneys in the Midwest! Entry forms will be available soon!  They will be available to downloaded at http://www.pekin.net/ , or you can go to the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce or

This year the Marigold Festival Committee is proud to crown our 35th Miss Marigold Queen. Beginning in 1973, the Miss Marigold Pageant has become a long-standing tradition of recognizing talented and bright young women with a chance to represent our community during the Marigold Festival weekend and throughout the year. We are especially proud of the pageant's focus on scholarship and in an effort to further recognize that commitment, this year's Queen scholarship will be $2,000 in an effort to better keep pace with the ever-increasing cost of higher education. Entry forms are available at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce and are due June 11th, 2010.

This year the Little Miss & Mr Marigold Pageant will be help at Pekin's Dome on Sunday, August 1st. The doors will open at noon and the pageant begins at 1pm. There will be a break at 3pm with a cake reception. Unique twist will be there making balloons for the kids. Contestants 0-3 compete from 1-3pm and after the break, contestants 4 and up will compete. All proceeds from the 2010 pageant will benefit Pekin Area Easter Seals. The registration fee is $50 to enter and the door badges are $5 each. Winners from the pageant will appear on the 2011 Easter Seals Telethon with a check presentation. Applications for the Litte Miss and Mr. Marigold Pageant are now available. You can get one at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, 402 Court Street or you can download one by going to http://www.pekin.net/MarigoldFestival.htm and scrolling down to the pageant information.

Back again this year is the Grow for the Gold Garden Contest. Help make Pekin the Marigold Capital of the World with your Marigold gardens. All entries must have a Pekin address and flowers must be visible from the street. The marigolds can be by themselves or in combination with other flowers. You may enter your own flowers or your neighbor's garden. Please submit your entries to the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce by calling 346-2106 or send an e-mail to Chamber@Pekin.net

The 2010 Marigold Festival logo was recently unveiled by the Marigold Festival Committee. It was designed by the Pekin Daily Times and will be used for promotions of this year's festival.

Emily Lowman, a PCHS art student designed this year's medallion. The PCHS art department held a contest for the medallion design and the Marigold Festival Committee picked Emily's design over two other finalist.  Congratulations, Emily!