Miller Lions Club hosts 74th Miller Fall Festival

The Miller Lions Club celebrated their 74th annual Miller Fall Festival, held Thursday, Aug. 22 through Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024 in the heart of Miller. Surprisingly, the weather could not have been more perfect for the normally balmy gathering where temps usually near triple digits. Not this year though, as it was primarily in the 80’s during the event.
Kenny’s Funland rides were set up on Main Street all three nights with sounds and bright neon colors lighting up the street. Rides included a ferris wheel, Zero Gravity, Swings, the Scrambler, a mirror funhouse and more. Children of all ages walked up and down the street night after night going from one ride to the next with friends and relatives.
Even though the rides were a blast, one needs to take a break and get a bite to eat. The Miller Lions Club provided two very popular food stands, their “World Famous” fish sandwiches stand run by Lion Tom Taylor; and the hamburger stand run by Lion Willy Williams and Lion Steve Logan.
Entertainment
Each year the Miller Lions Club provides nightly free live music that is performed on the historic bandstand with sound run by Lion Ron Baldwin and Lion Dave Garringer. The Wynn Brothers took the stage on Thursday evening, this year’s Saturday night entertainment included The City Girls Eagles Tribute Band with members Darcy and Trish performing separately on Friday evening. Local fan favorites Rhonda Smith and Tonya Chew also performed.
All three nights, Bingo inside the Miller Lions Club building was available for fairgoers 16 years and older. Bingo is also available each Saturday night throughout the year at the Miller Lions Club.
Craft booths
A variety of craft booths were at the Miller Fall Festival this year. Everything from nuts, pork rinds, handmade crafts, Miller Fall Festival T-shirts, and D&R railroad with their model train trailer, which was popular among children.
Kids rule Saturday
Saturday is the busiest day during the event. Saturday morning brought lots of memories with the yearly Kiddie Games, which consisted of children doing four different games: Walk Like a Duck, Carry an Egg on a Spoon, Roll a Potato with Your Nose, and the Bubble Gum Blowing Contest. Immediately following the Kiddie Games was the baby contest, both held at the bandstand. New parents brought their babies from newborn to a year old in cute outfits to be part of the baby contest.
Later Saturday afternoon, the parade started at Miller High School and ran throughout town, eventually down Washam Street to circle back to the high school. The parade route was lined with children of every age waiting for candy from cars, trucks, the Miller High School band and cheerleaders, and floats. Grand marshals for this year’s parade were Lyle and Jania Whittaker, who were riding in their bass boat to lots of laughter as Mr. Whittaker, a retired Miller agriculture teacher, was casting candy at the end of his fishing line to the crowd.
Miller Lions welcomes new members
The Miller Lions Club works hard every year to bring this event back to Main Street. Volunteers make this possible and there are never enough of them. The group is always looking for new members and volunteers. If anyone is interested in being a Miller Lion or a volunteer of any kind, reach out to the Miller Lions Club or come to a meeting, which is the second and fourth Thursday of every month.
 
Contest Results:
Miller Fall Festival Baby Contest
 
Girls:
0 - 3 Months:
1st - Gabriella & Isabella Parnell - daughters of Stewart & Latasha Parnell
; 2nd - Daisy Jo Noblitt - daughter of Jacob & Cindi Noblitt
; 3rd - Irelynn Beatty - daughter of Jessica Beatty
3 - 6 Months:
None in this category;
6 - 9 Months:
1st - Phoebe Fox - daughter of Anthony & Melissa Fox
; 2nd - Kaylee Grace Lawmaster - daughter of Josh & Jennifer Lawmaster
9 - 12 Months:
1st - Myleigh Holman - daughter of Chelsey Holman; 2nd - Viola Berington - daughter of Katherine Berington
; 3rd - Lola Joy Nkwocha - daughter of Emmanuel & Misty Nkwocha
 
Boys:
0 - 3 Months:
1st - Waylon Dewayne Richardson - son of Gage & Sierra Richardson
3 - 6 Months:
None in this category
6 - 9 Months:
1st - Maverick Rich - son of Jennifer Bowerman; 2nd - Beckett Taylor - son of Chelsea Taylor; 3rd - Xavier Nicholson - son of Emily Nicholson
9 - 12 Months:
1st - James Krase - son of Blake & Emily Krase; 2nd - Kooper Johnson - son of Boby & Dalyn Johnson; 
3rd - Theo Fletcher - son of Ariel Fletcher

Miller Fall Festival Kiddie Games
Walk Like A Duck
4 And Under:
1st - Adeline Hill - daughter of Tylar & Kaylen Hill; 2nd - Karter Meyers - son of Kyley Neely & Forrest Meyers
; 3rd - Raylee Hill - daughter of Isaac & Kelsey Hill
5 & 6:
1st - Randall Rose - son of Dustin & Samantha Rose
; 2nd - Jake Poirot - son of Ben & Courtney Poirot; 3rd - Charlie Boggs - son of Texe & Summar Boggs
7 & 8:
1st - Sydney Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot
; 2nd - Kirklin Rose - daughter of Dustin & Samantha Rose
; 3rd - Emma Spilman - daughter of Brian &
Kayla Spilman
9 & 10:
1st - Arwen Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan; 2nd - Lilly Schuck - daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck
; 3rd - Stella Logan -daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck
11 & 12:
1st - Holland Stockton - daughter of Bo & Lily Stockton; 
2nd - Lucy Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot
Carry An Egg On A Spoon:

4 And Under:
1st - Adeline Hill - daughter of Tylar & Kaylen Hill; 2nd - Raylee Hill - daughter of Isaac & Kelsey Hill; 3rd - Lorelei Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan
5 & 6:1st - Randall Rose - son of Dustin & Samantha Rose; 
2nd - Charlie Boggs - son of Texe & Summar Boggs; 3rd - Jake Poirot - son of Ben & Courtney Poirot
7 & 8:
1st - Kirklin Rose - daughter of Dustin & Samantha Rose; 
2nd - Sydney Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot; 
3rd – Zelda Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan
9 & 10:
1st - Lilly Schuck - daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck; 
2nd - Stella Logan - daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck
; 3rd - Arwen Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan
11 & 12:
1st - Holland Stockton - daughter of Bo & Lily Stockton; 2nd - Lucy Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot
; 3rd - Bailee Boggs - daughter of Jami Smith
Roll A Potato With Your Nose:

4 And Under:
1st - Karter Meyers - son of Kyley Neely & Forrest Meyers; 
2nd - Legend Peterson - daughter of Brandi Marler
; 3rd - Lorelei Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan
5 & 6:
1st - Randall Rose - son of Dustin & Samantha Rose
; 2nd - Charlie Boggs - son of Texe & Summar Boggs; 
3rd - Jake Poirot - son of Ben & Courtney Poirot
7 & 8:
1st - Sydney Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot; 
2nd - Zelda Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan; 3rd - Slayer Peterson - son of Brandi Marler
9 & 10:
1st - Stella Logan -daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck; 
2nd - Arwen Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan; 3rd - Lilly Schuck -daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck
11 & 12:
1st - Kyler Marler - daughter of Brandi Marler; 2nd - Holland Stockton - daughter of Bo & Lily Stockton
Blowing the Biggest Bubble With Bubble Gum:

4 And Under:
1st - Karter Meyers - son of Kyley Neely & Forrest Meyers; 
2nd - Raylee Hill - daughter of Isaac & Kelsey Hill; 3rd - Adeline Hill - daughter of Tylar & Kaylen Hill
5 & 6:1st - Randall Rose - son of Dustin & Samantha Rose; 
2nd - Wyatt Taylor - son of Ethan Taylor
; 3rd - Gabe Taylor - Son of Ethan Taylor
7 & 8:
1st - Kirklin Rose - daughter of Dustin & Samantha Rose; 
2nd -Sydney Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot; 
3rd - Hadlee Hill - daughter of Chad & Klista Hill
9 & 10:
1st - Arwen Morgan - daughter of Cain Morgan; 2nd - Stella Logan - daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck; 
3rd - Lilly Schuck - daughter of Katrina Logan & Bobby Schuck
11 & 12:
1st - Lucy Poirot - daughter of Ben & Courtney Poirot; 2nd - Holland Stockton - daughter of Bo & Lily Stockton
; 3rd - Kyler Marler - daughter of Brandi Marler