A Day in the Country
Eden Mennonite Church’s Country Festival will be Saturday, September 26 in Inola.
By: Sheryl Sowell | Category: In Our Communities | Issue: September 2015
Lorena Jantz, president of Eden Mennonite Church’s Women in Mission, stands with quilts that will be auctioned at the Country Festival.
The Eden Mennonite Country Festival will be held Saturday, September 26 in Inola and will feature delicious food, fun family activities, a car show, live entertainment, live and silent auctions, a bike ride and more. Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy an exciting autumn day in the country.
The festival begins with the “Ride the Country” bicycle ride at 7 a.m. Participants will make their way through historic Inola and the beautiful surrounding Amish country in a 30-mile adventure. A 4-mile family fun ride for kids and parents will begin at 8 a.m. Rachel Crane, a member of the Eden Mennonite Church who has attended the festival for several years, came up with the idea of adding a fundraising bike ride this year. Rachel began riding about a year ago and fell in love with the exercise and being outdoors. “This relaxing country ride is sure to please cyclists with its gorgeous scenery and casual ambiance. It will be a wonderful way to start the festival,” she says. Two rest stops with drinks and snacks will be available on the ride. Cost is $15 for a single rider or $25 for a family or couple. Find the event page at facebook.com/pages/Ride-the-Country/928309050564689.
Whether you build up an appetite from the bike ride, or you simply want to enjoy some yummy food, the festival has you covered. From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. will be a free pancake and sausage breakfast (donations graciously accepted). For lunch, booths will be set up selling soups, sandwiches, BBQ, hot dogs, kettle corn, homemade ice cream and more. The bake sale is always a hit, with delectable treats including homemade bread, cakes, pies, cookies, noodles and other treats for sale.
The festival is a perfect opportunity to get started on early Christmas shopping. Craft booths open at 10 a.m. and will feature a variety of items for purchase, including gift baskets, wreaths, handmade pillows and tea towels, and much more. An auction featuring donated items such as quilts and a jukebox will be led by auctioneer E.J. Chupp. A silent auction will feature items donated by church members, such as a home-cooked meal for 10 people.
Julie Pankratz and Shirley Froese with craft items and baskets that will be for sale at the Country Festival’s shopping booths.
The free Kids Place will feature inflatables, horse rides, and other exciting activities. Carriage rides will be available for anyone in the family for only $1. Attendees will also have the opportunity to see the Amish “Horsin’ Around” Rodeo and the Paso Fino drill team, a group of rescue horses that will put on a dazzling performance. Other great entertainment will include the Clarks Bluegrass Band, performing after the auction around noon, as well as a vintage car show with beautiful “rides” to admire.
Julie Pankratz, committee member, says the Country Festival is held every other year, and she has attended each one since it began in 1999. “It’s a lively, fun day filled with family activities, shopping and, of course, delicious food. Please join us! All proceeds from the event benefit Mennonite Central Committee Meat Canning, a traveling cannery that ships canned meat to those in need, as well as missionary, building and benevolent funds of Eden Mennonite Church.”
Eden Mennonite Church is located in Inola, a mile and a half south of Highway 412 on the Mayes/Rogers County line (21905 E. 600 Rd.). The Country Festival is free to attend.
About Author Sheryl Sowell
Sheryl Sowell was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Will Rogers High School and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern State University in 2007. She has worked for Value News as editor, writer and advertising copywriter since 2008. She enjoys meeting and interviewing people for Value News articles, learning about their backgrounds, and helping to promote their businesses and local events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes and crafts from Pinterest, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and friends. Sheryl lives in Tulsa with her fiancé Paul, their daughter Scarlett, and their two dogs, Gunner and Boo.
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