The third edition of Tipton Septemberfest will be held Saturday, Sept. 6 with events planned for downtown on Moniteau Street and Osage Avenue, at the Maclay Home and at the Old Presbyterian Church. A schedule has been finalized with the lineup as follows.
Craft and food vendors will be located downtown and at the Old Presbyterian Church, expanding the availability of space for those who have indicated a desire to be involved in the day. Booths will be open from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Tours will be offered between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the home for $5 a person, giving a glimpse into the lives of the Gleim and Maclay families who made the pre-Civil War era seminary their home for decades.
The Kids Zone in downtown near City Hall will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Discounted arm bands are available at Commerce Bank for $10 a child and will be $15 the day of the festival.
Free shuttles will transport festival-goers between the Tipton Fairgrounds where parking is encouraged, downtown, the Old Presbyterian Church and the Maclay Home. The shuttles are sponsored by Timberline Real Estate and The Lincoln Light Guy.
Downtown Tipton
The day will kick off with the Run for Rodney 5K at 7 a.m., remembering one of the founders of Septemberfest in 2023, the late Rodney Battles. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Friends of the Maclay Home which is charged with preservation of the historical landmark.
Announcer David Stayton will introduce special activities for the day and keep the crowd entertained throughout.
The “Small Town, Big History” parade will be held at 9 a.m.
Jackson Fischer Music is set to play on the stage on Short Street from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., when an auction of baked goods entered in the Friends of the Maclay Home Septemberfest Baking Contest will be held.
Tipton’s Top Dog competition, a corn dog eating contest, will be held at 1:30 p.m., followed by Caitie Marie Music from 2 until 4 p.m.
A Hometown Hula Hoop-Off contest will be held at 4 p.m. on Short Street. All ages are welcome.
Old Presbyterian Church
Entries for the baking contest should be turned in at the Old Presbyterian Church from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. The contest includes four categories, cookies, pies of any kind, cakes of all types and yeast breads. Cash prizes will be awarded during the announcement of winners on the Short Street Stage at about 12:30 p.m. All proceeds from the auction will be split equally between the Maclay Home and Old Presbyterian Church. For more information, see the Maclay Home Facebook page, or text or call Tena Potts at 573-539-5946.
Local favorite Jet Jurgensmeyer will perform at 1:30 p.m., and cartoons will be shown in the newly air conditioned church from 12 until 4 p.m.
Maclay Home
Barbecuers competing in the Smokin’ For Special Olympics contest sponsored by the Tipton FFA chapter will set up their pits at 6 a.m. on the lawn of the Maclay Home, and be ready to turn in meats for judges between 12 and 1:30 p.m. with awards at 2:30 p.m. A special feature will be a Kids Q Grilled Cheese contest will be held with entries between 11 and 11:30 a.m. Cash prizes and trophies will be awarded in rib and wing categories. Rules and sign up can be found at www.ribcookoffassociation.com. In addition to the Tipton FFA sponsors are Co-Mo Connect, American Family Insurance, Koechner Mfg., Blue Rhino and the Rib Cook-Off Association. Proceeds will benefit the Tipton High School Special Olympics program.
The Friends of Music will be fundraising for their program at THS with a car cruise on the north lawn of the Maclay Home and food sales from the carriage house. Vehicles can be registered between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., with voting by the public from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
A group photo of people wearing their blue t-shirts in memory of Rodney Battles will be taken at 11 a.m., followed by a Hometown Hero Military Tribute under the flagpole at the Maclay Home at 11:30 a.m.
To end the day, Jacob Gapsch and Southland will play in the corner lot at Moniteau and Osage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Admission will be limited to those 21 years of age and older.
