By Butch Burney, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce President/CEO
Now is the time to get your tickets before the 53rd Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival, sponsored by Alliance Bank, on Saturday, Oct. 22.
This year, tickets are $8 each or four tickets for $28, if you buy them before Saturday. On Saturday, there will not be a four-ticket discount. You can purchase tickets at Alliance Bank locations, City National Bank locations, Texas Heritage National Bank and Pilgrim Bank, or at the Chamber office, 110 Main St. You can also purchase them online at HopkinsChamber.org.
Quart tickets are $15 this year. They can only be purchased at the Chamber office or the day of the stew, which is Saturday, Oct. 22.
Be sure to come out to Buford Park on Friday, Oct. 21, for the free concert by Dubb and the Luv Machines, which will start immediately after the Wildcats’ home game against Paris. The Friday night concert is sponsored by Bob Evans Farms.
On Saturday, we will also have a Kids Zone with bounce houses from Jerry’s Jump Zone and Gellyball.
About 30 market vendors will open at 8 a.m. Saturday and be open throughout the stew.
We have doubled the number of port-a-potties, added a fourth drink station and will have about 30 vendors in our market.
It will be a great day for the entire family!
Free Mammography Clinic
Due to demand, additional appointments were added to the Free Mammography Clinic hosted by the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation in partnership with CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. A few openings are still available. If you are an uninsured woman over 40 years of age that lives in Hopkins County, you are eligible for a free mammogram through this program.
The staff of the Ruth & Jack Gillis Women’s Center, a part of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, will be welcoming women to the clinic on two Saturdays, October 15 and 29.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is a good time to schedule an annual mammogram. If you are eligible for a free mammogram, call 903-438-4325 to schedule an appointment.
LEAP Youth Expo
Workforce Solutions Northeast Texas is sponsoring a LEAP (Learning Endorsements and Professions) Youth Expo at the Hopkins County Civic Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Oct. 28.
The expo is sponsored by Pilgrim’s Bank, RPM Staffing Professionals and the Sulphur Springs-Hopkins County EDC.
Halloween Costume Contest
Goodwill Industries is having a DIY Show Us Your Halloween Costume Contest from Oct. 25 to Oct. 31, for a chance to win a $50 gift card to any of the Northeast Texas Goodwill stores. Use items from Goodwill to make the costume, then upload a photo to their Facebook page.
University Day at TAMU-Commerce
Texas A&M University-Commerce is partnering with Sulphur Springs for the CommUniverCity Day on Saturday, Nov. 5, when the Lions football team hosts Northwestern State.
The Lions will highlight and honor local educators, youth programs and residents. There will be on-field photos, hospitality areas, team interaction and a family fun zone.
For more information, contact Chris Tobiaz at 903-468-8756 or [email protected].
Epilepsy Awareness
There will be an epilepsy awareness fundraiser set for Saturday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First Baptist Church’s The Roc. The fundraiser will include a car show, vendors and a spaghetti lunch.
All proceeds go to the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas.