Local organizers of a fall festival are hoping for a definite repeat on Saturday.
The festival committee wants to bring the community together once again for some fall fun, a chili cookoff and visiting with neighbors.
Monty Muehlebach, owner of Cowboy Catering and pastor of Sims Corner Church, hosted a fall festival for his church for four years. Last year, he and McKeever Mountain Farms joined efforts to host and promote a family-friendly event that is free.
This year's fall festival -- Mountain Happenings at Sims Corner -- is set for Saturday, Oct. 16. The all-outdoors, family-friendly event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 15 acres are available for folks to enjoy a variety of events, meet other neighbors and build community.
A chili cookoff will kick off at noon. Anyone interested in participating can contact organizers on the Mountain Happenings at Sims Corner Facebook page to register. Several participants already have registered and are ready to get cooking, co-organizer LaSandra McKeever said.
The festivities will include a pumpkin painting contest, free carnival games for children, a photo booth, a puppet show, cornhole, karaoke, a bounce house, raffles and a lineup of 40 vendors and more.
Cowboy Catering Company will offer a free lunch from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Cowboy Catering Company kitchen lead Lorna Jones said the lunch will feature several choices, including a bowl of chili served with cornbread, Frito pie, chili dogs, plain hot dogs, chili baked potatoes, and plain baked potatoes.
Jones and Muehlebach plan to serve approximately 150 people.
Muehlebach said he hopes the festival will resonate with neighbors.
"I have a genuine hope that it is an event that people can come together as a community and through that, see the love of Christ and that He alone is glorified," Muehlebach said.
The address for the event is 10289 E. State Highway 90, Pineville. The event is eight miles north of Pea Ridge, Ark., and 11 miles east of the Jane Walmart Super Center.
McKeever said a rain date has been set for Saturday, Oct. 23.