Pekin Marigold Festival

A "tail waggin" good time was had by all at the Pekin's Next Top Dog Pageant.  Finals were held near the dog park of Mineral Springs Park on Sunday September 12th.  While many competed, a n English Bulldog named Diesel was named the 2010 "Top Dog".   Congratulations Diesel and owner, Mike. Runner-up - Sasha, German Shepherd Preliminaries were held Tuesday, August 3rd.  There were several categories for these pooches to compete in.  The winners of each contest were chosen by audience applause. 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 View the Top Dog Page for more information.

Looking for pictures from the NTS Marigold Festival Parade?  Check out the pictures taken be Pekin resident, Ed Emmons, at:  http://picasaweb.google.com/edemmons1/NTSMARIGOLDPARADE?feat=directlink

NTS Parade Sponsor's Choice Award Central Illinois Tumbling & Trampoline Grand Marshall Award Advocates For Access Chamber President's Choice Award Holiday Inn Express & Suites Marigold Festival Chairperson's Choice Award Carpenter's Local #183 Miss Marigold Queen's Choice Award Marquette Heights Men's Club NTS Traveling Trophy Community of Christ-Jesus Then & Now   http://www.pekin.net/MarigoldFestivalParade2010.htm

It's going to be a beautiful day...come out and enjoy the Pekin Marigold Festival!

You can see pictures of people enjoying Pekin Main Street's Friday Night Family Fest at http://picasaweb.google.com/PekinChamber .  The event kicks-off the Marigold Festival weekend.

Join us downtown for the always popular Friday Night Family Fest! 

Tonight, September 9th from 5:30 - 9:30pm. The always popular, Carnival Bracelet Night gets things going! Bring the whole family to the 4-H Shelter area for rides, games and fun! Just $15 for a bracelet.   

You can download a .pdf version of the line-up at:  http://www.pekin.net/2010ParadeLineup.pdf 2010 NTS Marigold Festival Parade Unit # Entry 1        Pekin Police 2        Tazewell County Sheriff 3        Pekin Firefighter Color Guard 4        NTS President & CEO Dan Johnson 5        PCHS March Dragons 6        Pekin Community HS Cheerleaders 7        Grand Marshal - Ken White 8        Festival Queen 9        Queen's Court 10      Queen's Court 11      Queen's Court 12      Queen's Court 13      Queen's Court 14      Miss Illinois - Whitney Thorpe Klinsky 15      Past Miss Marigold's 16      Marigold Festival Chairman - Val Springborn 17      Chamber President - Althea Geiser 18      Marigold Medallion Winner's Daughter Bailey Tindall 19      City of Pekin Officials 20      NTS Sponsors Float 21      Pekin Hospital 22      Pekin Junior High Band 23      Broadmoor Jr. & Edison Jr. High Schools Sprit squads 24      Faith Bapti

Kick off the Marigold Festival weekend with the Friday Night Family Fest sponsored by Pekin Main Street. There will be lots of food, lots of fun and one of Pekin's favorite Marigold events - the Lip Sync Contest. Bring your lawn chairs and your appetite and be ready for a great night of family fun! Friday Night Family Fest is held on Friday, September 10th from 5:00pm to 10:00pm around the courthouse square in historic downtown Pekin. Lip Sync applications are still available for some divisions.  You can download a registration form here.  For more information please call Pekin Main Street at 353-3100.

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 memorabilia as well as a festival timeline 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.

This Thursday, enjoy the always popular, Carnival Bracelet Night! Bring the whole family to the 4-H Shelter area for rides, games and fun! Just $15 for a bracelet Thursday, September 9th from 5:30 - 9:30pm.

Congratulations to avid hunter Carrie Westerfield who found the Pepsi Marigold Medallion after deciphering information in the first two clues. It was found just before 7:00pm on Tuesday at Dirksen Park. More information about Carrie and her hunt will be coming soon.