Pumpkin Show time is here!

The 121st Annual Versailles Pumpkin Show will be in full swing next week with royalty being named on Wednesday evening, September 25 and on Thursday evening, September 26. (Watch for a special section inside the September 24 issue of the Osgood Journal all about the King and Queen candidates)

Ripley Publishing Co. will again be sponsoring the Prince and Princess Contest on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the stage. Contestants for this year were chosen from seven local elementary schools and include Lincoln Metcalf and Samantha (Sami) Sciutto from Batesville Primary School; Liam Walter and Rowynn Moses representing Jac-Cen-Del Elementary School; Clifford Horstman and Harper Powell from Milan Elementary; Brayton Malcomb and Addilynn Clift, South Ripley; Jameson Munchel and Eleanor Flaspohler from St. Louis, Abe Eckstein and Adeline Riley representing St. Nicholas School, and Lincoln Routch and Ainsley Hartman from Sunman Elementary.

That evening after the pageant, two high school students from five area schools will be vying for the title of who can eat the most pumpkin pie, also sponsored by Ripley Publishing Co., publisher of the Osgood Journal and The Versailles Republican.
The parade will take place on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. with the National Anthem being performed by Safe in the Harbor. Rob Moorhead and his sister, Jane Rogers will emcee the parade.

The giant pumpkins will be weighed following the parade with many more activities in the afternoon on Saturday.

While the Show dates will not extend to Sunday as they have in the past, there will be a community church service at the Holdsworth Pavilion at the Kevin Hensley Memorial Park on the east side of the square in Versailles. This is sponsored by the Southern Ripley Ministerial Association.

Due to construction inside the Ripley County Courthouse, the 2024 Versailles Pumpkin Show Art Show will be held at the Versailles Masonic Lodge, 214 W. Tyson Street.

Another change this year will be the ride company – Jessop Amusements. With this comes the change of going from paper tickets to digital ticketing and kiosks. Local businesses still have the cards to purchase ahead of time that will save the riders some money.

Four days of fun and time to reminisce with family and friends will be offered with some new things this year and some traditional things still in place.

Editor’s Note: See full 10-page paper inside today’s paper all about the Pumpkin Show.