There was no people counter to get an exact number of those who attended last Saturday’s Chicken Fest in Clinton.  But there were enough anecdotal accounts to prompt Mayor Tommy Kimbro to estimate attendance at 2000 visitors.  He told the City Council that the event was very successful.

Mayor Kimbro worked all day in the First Assembly of God food booth with other members of his church. In addition to sandwiches, their booth featured chocolate cake and ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce in a not lo-cal treat.

Chicken was the big menu item of the day. The Women’s Club sold out of their coconut coated chicken. Hickman County High students in the FFA and FCCLA booth sold lots of chicken on a stick, fried twinkies and fried oreos.  Other booths featured chicken wraps and whole and half barbecued chickens. Draper BBQ of Cunningham won the honor of best tasting chicken wings in the wing cook-off. Alan Paul won two categories: Hottest of the Hot and People’s Choice.

There were games for children and adults, including a crowing contest and basketball hoop toss. Children participated in sack races and played on the giant inflated castle. They got their hair and faces painted. Eli Rudd, son of Corinne and Jarrin Rudd, enjoyed having his hair striped green and black. He also really enjoyed seeing County Clerk James (Jimbo) Berry take a plunge in the Rotary dunking booth.

A 5-K Chicken Run/Walk was held early in the day. Hunter Burge, Haley McKinney had the overall times. The Cornhole Tournament was won by the team from Kirksey, Kentucky. Shane Midyette and Greg Boaz came in second.

Local musicians performed all day long in “Chicken Stock.” Rock bands alternated with Broadway show tunes and youthful fiddlers. As Davis Henderson sang his final note of his last song, “I’ll Rise Again” the heavens opened and the rain came down. After the scramble to cover, the final music groups were moved to the First United Methodist Church Young Center. A faithful group of 20-30 stayed and enjoyed their music.

The Hickman County Museum sold pillows made from the curtains of the old Central High School that closed in the early 1960’s. Other vendors offered chicken themed items and t-shirts with a chicken theme. 

Despite a soggy finish to the first ever festival, plans are already afoot for a bigger, better, longer Spring Chicken Fest in Ought Twelve.