Here is everything you need to know to enjoy the Emmett Kelly Clown Festival Saturday, April 29, in Houston, Missouri.
Band to sponsor chili cookoff at Kelly Festival
Houston High School Band will hold the first Weary Willie Chili Cookoff during the Emmett Kelly Festival on April 29.
Entry is $10 per crock pot with all the funds going toward band competitions, such as music and props. The competition will be held at noon on Saturday at the Main Stage at Pine Street and Grand Avenue in downtown Houston.
Judges will determine the winners by tasting the chilis. There will $50 cash prize for best chili, $25 cash prize for the spiciest and $25 cash prize for the most creative.
Entry applications can be picked up at Houston City Hall and must be returned with the $10 to the city hall by Wednesday, April 26. Chili should be at the festival by 11:30 a.m. for the tasting. The band wants all chili entries to be left with them to sell Frito pies with the chili at its booth at the festival. All crock pots must be picked up by 4 p.m. Saturday of the festival.
“Weary Willie loved comfort food, and whether it was a bag of popcorn or a head of cabbage, he would always share whatever he had. Houston has some of the very best home cooking in Missouri, and I think that Emmett Kelly would love the idea of a chili cookoff to raise money for the Houston Pride Tiger Band,” said circus historian Chris Berry.
For more information, contact Beth Tapen, Color Guard instructor, at etapen@houston.k12.mo.us. All entry money can be checks made out to Houston High School Band or cash.
Governor recognizes Kelly, festival
PARSON
Gov. Mike Parson has congratulated Houston in conjunction with this year’s Emmett Kelly Clown Festival.
This year marks what would have been Emmett Kelly Sr.’s 125th birthday.
Kelly was born in 1898 in Sedan, Kan., and grow up in Texas County east of Houston. Kelly identified his famous clown character as Weary Willie, a hobo traveling on trains throughout southern Missouri during the Great Depression.
He was famous for film, television, as an artist and a performer with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. In 1998, Missouri inducted Kelly into the Hall of Famous Missourians at the state capitol.
“Teresa and I congratulate the citizens of Houston as you celebrate Mr. Kelly’s 125th birthday. We send best wishes for an enjoyable event,” Parson said.
Business decorating contest announced for Kelly Festival
A business window decorating contest will be held in conjunction with the annual Emmett Kelly Clown Festival in Houston.
Most activities are planned for Saturday, April 29, in downtown Houston. Those range from a parade to a chili contest to benefit the high school band to vendors and music. There are many events, including a 5K walk and run.
Merchants also can participate by decorating their windows for the festival with a “Weary Willie” theme. This is the 125th birthday of Kelly, who was born Dec. 9, 1898, in Sedan, Kan., and went on to be raised on a farm east of Houston. He later became a world-famous clown in circus, film and television.
The top prize in the window decorating contest is a $250 prize presented by the Houston Herald that can be used for print or digital advertising.
My mom collected Emmett Kelly figurines for years and has several we packed away when she past. I am not sure what to do with them so if anyone has any advice I’m open to suggestions.