Deer Festival Is Success

The 49th annual Deer Festival was held Saturday with more than 100 vendors offering their wares to the festival-goers.

Despite rain for the previous week, after a brief shower Saturday morning, the rain held off most of the day. Skies were overcast, but the festival went on with most everyone staying dry.

Tyler Phillips was crowned Deer Festival Queen, and Matti Ruth Smith was named first runner-up. Little Miss Fawn Peyton Hicks, who was crowned at the pageant on November 1 was also in attendance.

Some of the entertainment acts who had signed up backed out in fear of the rain, but most of it went on without a hitch. The headline Backwoods Branded kept the crowd going late into the day.

Bulldog Gym took first place in the parade for best float, netting $200. The Monticello High School marching band was awarded second place and third place went to “End Domestic Violence” a tribute to Barbara Lawrence by Samuel Ellison, Jr.

Jon Collins won the gun raffled off by the Chamber of Commerce and Lana Seawright won the quilt raffled off by the Jasper Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.

Jay McMichael won the prize for killing the deer with the biggest rack, and Tim Zech took home the trophy for heaviest deer. Becky Leigh Wilson won the prize for youngest successful hunter. Gretchen Pruett was the winner of the trail cam for her photos of a bear.

To see a photo recap of the festival, see page 14.