The 2024 Fair Grove Heritage Reunion Festival, commonly shortened to fall festival, took place on September 29th, and 30th. This was the 47th annual heritage reunion festival in Fair Grove.
The heritage festival is a town event that showcases the history of Fair Grove and how it has changed over the years. With this last festival being the town’s 47th, the first festival took place in 1978. Since then, Fair Grove has advanced and grown in population and technology.
According to the Missouri Census Data Center, in 1970, Fair Grove’s population was 431 people. The population count in 2022 counted 1,625 people living in Fair Grove. From 1970 to 2022 there has been a 1,194 population increase.
Mary Terry, the President of the Fair Grove Historical and Preservation Society who has been to every fall festival said, “I was a participant in the first festival and have gone to nearly all of them, probably could count on one hand the ones I have missed. The first festival was near the end of October and as I mentioned in the first sentence I participated as a food vendor, serving chili and fish sandwiches in cast iron kettles over an open fire.¨
This year’s festival was a good turn out for vendors. Terry stated, “This year was our largest vendor participation of 211 vendors with 307 booths and we do not want to be any larger because of space for vendors and parking for vendors.”
Throughout the 47 years of the festival members of the Fair Grove community and surrounding areas have come out to support the ideas of community, fellowship, and family. Many people outside of the Fair Grove community come to visit as well.
There is a lot of preparation for the fall festival every year. Planning starts the Sunday of the festival, the year prior. They open vendor spots, plan community needs, and get things ready as early as they can. Terry stated, “Before this year is done we are thinking about next year… In October with our meeting we are going over all comments from the vendors, volunteers and participants.”
Many students, teachers, and community members attend the Fair Grove Heritage Reunion Festival. Within this, many participate in traditions, whether self made or a part of the festival, Dr. Christian Overstreet, Fair Grove High School Principal, said, “One of my family’s traditions is attending the Sunday morning church service at the Mill.”
For the festival, you see the community come together to make it all happen. Terry said, “You begin seeing everyone tidying up their business, their home, even the highway department is getting into the act with mowing our right-a-ways. The Mill is on the city and chamber business head. The school groups have an extra income or only income from the festival. It introduces the people to our town and the possibility of relocating or starting a business here.”
The Fair Grove Heritage Reunion Festival will take place the last full weekend in September, this next year.
