The Vicksburg Lions Club’s annual Summer Festival, affectionately known to locals as the “B&B”, took place under the new Community Pavilion on July 24-26, 2014. The beautiful new home of the B&B proved to be everything Lions Club’s members had hoped for as the Festival had the largest attendance of any such event in recent years.
After the traditional family night on Thursday, there were several festival highlights including the live music of the Backroads Band (Friday night) and the South County Band (Saturday night). Friday night also featured the Lions Club’s 3rd annual cornhole tournament with over 90 participants and an enthusiastic audience. After five hours of narrowing down the competition, Rich Livingston and Ben Spieldenner took home this year’s championship and will defend their title in 2015.
Saturday’s festivities included the annual Alumni Breakfast sponsored by the Vicksburg Community Schools Foundation and the Class of 1964. Over 300 alumni and spouses were in attendance. The 8th annual horseshoe tournament took center stage in the afternoon hours. Will Plankenhorn and tournament rookie Jake Mendham beat out 62 other pitchers and are the 2014 champions!
The Vicksburg Lions Club would like to thank the following for their generosity associated with this year’s Festival: Village’s Public Works (for assistance with the grounds and site preparation), Family Fare, IHS Distributing, Ronningen R &D, Meijer and Mandy’s Candies (for appreciated donations and prize giveaways), the Vicksburg Farmers Market (for graciously relocating for the day), Amy Manchester of The Vicksburg Community Schools Foundation and Mary Prange (for coordinating the alumni breakfast) and all local businesses who placed an ad in the annual placemat and banner drive in support of the Festival. These helpers, the Lions Club members, and legions of other volunteers truly made 2014 a year to remember.
The B&B continues to be the Lions Club’s largest fundraiser. It takes a village to support such an effort. Thanks, Vicksburg!