2022 Banana Festival schedule of events announced by Committee

This year’s Banana Festival 2022 Committee has determined events for the official schedule, Sept. 9-17 in the Twin Cities of Fulton, Ky. and South Futon, Tenn.

A Top Banana Reception, for individuals and couples contributing financial support for the festival, will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9 at The Meadows Hotel. Tickets to the reception will be offered to Corporate Sponsors, at a discounted rate, as room allows, with ticket purchased opened to the public if available.

The Fulton Police Department’s Pistol and Turkey Shoot begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at the FPD Shooting Range on Park Road, with entry and registration required on the morning of the event.- Fulton PD Range Park Rd ($)

At 8 a.m. Sept. 10, the Banana Festival Beauty Pageant Registration Begins at Fulton City High School, with pageants set to start at 9 a.m. Registration and entry fee is required, as well as spectator admission.

From 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Sept. 10, entries in the Banana Festival Photo Contest may be submitted at the Pontotoc Community Center, in downtown Fulton’s Pontotoc Park. Photo contest entries will also be accepted at the same location on Sun., Sept. 11 from 1-5 p.m., Mon., Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Tues., Sept. 12, up to 11 a.m. Entry fees are required with submissions.

On Sat., Sept. 10, Kids’ Activities will be held from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Kids at South Fulton’s Unity Park and Fulton’s Pontotoc Park.Unity & Pontotoc Park
On Mon., Sept. 12, through Fri., Sept. 16, photo contest entries are open for view by the public, as well as on Sat., Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Pontotoc building.

At 6:30 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 12, the “Second Annual Peace, Love, & Foliage Event”- will be staged at Pontotoc Park, Fulton, with ticket availability to be announced.

School Art Contest Judging will take place on Tues., Sept. 13, and Photo Contest Judging will also be completed.

On Tues., Sept. 13, entries for the Banana Bake-Off will be accepted from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Fancy Fannie’s Bakery, -422 Lake St. in Fulton, and judging will begin at 5 p.m., with winners announced at 6 p.m.

A new event for ages 12-18, The Amazing Banana Race/Scavenger Hunt, will commence at 5:30 p.m. Tues., Sept. 13, with participants invited to compete as individuals or in groups, at Pontotoc Park and Unity Park.

Wed., Sept. 14 is a full day of fun, with senior citizens activities scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Pontotoc Building.

Faith and Family events will be held on Wed., Sept. 14, beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the Unity Park stage, presented by the Ministerial Alliance, with Tyson to prepare and serve a free community meal at 5 p.m. in Pontotoc Park.

The Banana Pudding Path event will also begin at 5 p.m. that evening, with the public given the opportunity to sample a number of banana pudding recipes, prepared by local charitable organizations, in exchange for a donation at the door, of the Pontotoc building.

The Banana Cabana, stocked with a wide variety of banana merchandise available for purchase, will be open inside the Pontotoc building from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

A Chalk Art competition will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Unity Park walking trail, with chalk provided, and the 2022 Banana Festival Kiddie Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Sept. 14.
Faith & Family Night Entertainment will cap off the night at 7 p.m. on the Unity Park stage.

Vendors will begin set-up along downtown Fulton’s Vendor Row on Thurs., Sept. 15, at 9 a.m., and once again, the Banana Cabana will be open for purchases from 5-9 p.m.

The final event of the day on Sept. 15 will be Fulton’s Got Talent at 7 p.m., showcasing local musicians, singers and entertainers, with the winner given the opportunity to perform as the opener for the headliner entertainment on Saturday evening.

On Friday, Sept. 16, from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., First Baptist Church Family Life center will be the site of the free Banana Festival Health Fair, sponsored By Fulton County Extension Office.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, vendors will be open, with Kids activities set form 4-10 p.m., the Banana Cabana open from 5-9 p.m. and the Lindell Street Blues Band, the 2021 Fulton’s Got Talent winner set to perform on the Unity Park stage at 6 p.m.

Friday night’s main act will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

The final day of the 2022 Banana Festival begins on Sat., Sept. 17 with the Rotary Club Car Show, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., and registration starting at 7:30 a.m., on Lake Street, downtown Fulton. Registration and fees are required for entries.

The Banana 5K/Fun Run registration and entry starts at 7 a.m. at Raise The Bar Gym, at the corner of Walnut and Washington Streets in Fulton, with the races to start at 8 a.m.

The Kiwanis Club of the Twin Cities Cornhole Tournament will take place beginning at 9 a.m. at the Keg Restaurant patio area on Lake Street, with entry fee and registration required, and vendors will open shop at 9 a.m.

The Banana Eating Contest will be staged at 10 a.m. in front of the Lake Street Bandstand and the Banana Brawl wrestling event is at 11 a.m at Pontotoc Park.

The Banana Cabana, with festival merchandise for sale, will be open from 11: a.m. – 10 p.m. with Kids Activities open those same hours.

Beginning at 11 a.m. Sept. 17, a Dunking Booth to Benefit the Fulton Dog Pound will be sponsored by Kayser at Pontotoc Park and at 2 p.m., the Banana Festival Doggy Pageant will take place on the Pontotoc Park Stage with registration and entry fee submission beginning at 1:30 p.m.

This year’s Fulton Lion’s Club Grande Parade will start an hour earlier than usual, at 4 p.m., making its way down Broadway in South Fulton to Fulton’s Lake Street, ending with the float displaying the One Ton Banana Pudding, to be served adjacent to Pontotoc Park.

Entertainment gets underway at 6 p.m. on Unity Park stage with free concerts from the 2022 Fulton’s Got Talent Winner; at 7 p.m., Jordan Skoda and The Damwrights perform, followed by the main headlining act at 8:30 p.m.