Plains Peanut Festival set for Sept. 24

Randall Weiseman Ag "Outdoors", Field Crops, General, Georgia, Industry News Release, Peanuts

From the Georgia Peanut Commission:

TIFTON, Ga. (Sept. 16, 2016) The The 2016 Plains Peanut Festival kicks off Sept. 24 with a parade and lots of peanuts. The festival is held annually in Plains, Georgia, home of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.

The parade will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, and Bobby Moss will be honored as the Grand Marshall. Moss retired as the superintendent of the University of Georgia Southwest Georgia Branch Experiment Station in Plains. He has served the community of Plains for a number of years as chairman of the board for the Plains United Methodist Church, the Plains Lions Club and a member of the Plains Better Hometown board. He also served 23 years on the Farm Credit Association board for Southwest Georgia. Moss served in the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean War.

Planters’ Mr. Peanut and the NUT Mobile Peanut will be featured in the parade. Created in 1916 by a 12-year-old boy as part of a contest, Mr. Peanut has been an American icon for almost a century. Dressed in the formal clothing of an old-fashioned gentleman, complete with top hat, monocle, white gloves, spats, tights and a cane, Mr. Peanut first appeared in advertising in 1919. He is now one of the best-known icons in advertising history. He has been a part of American culture for the last hundred years, even supporting the troops during World War II. In 2005, Mr. Peanut was inducted into the Advertising Walk of Fame. He was given a makeover and a voice on TV for the first time in 2010.

The Peanut Institute, National Peanut Board, American Peanut Shellers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission, Planters, Jif, National Peanut Buying Points Association and Mars will display exhibits in the Planters Peanut Pavilion beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Saturday events begin at 8:00 a.m. with a One Mile Fun Run followed by a 5K road race. Mr. Peanut will be cheering on the runners in the Fun Run. Additional festivities throughout the day include free entertainment, historical and educational displays, food vendors, as well as arts and crafts booths.

SAM Shortline will have train rides and President and Mrs. Carter will be signing books. The festival street dance featuring Jimmy Gaddy, will perform live on Main Street beginning at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Sponsors of this year’s peanut festival include American Blanching, American Peanut Shellers Association, Georgia Federal-State Inspection, Georgia Peanut Commission, Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts, The J. M. Smucker Company, Kraft – Heinz Planters, Mars Chocolate NA, National Peanut Board, National Peanut Buying Points Association, Premium Peanut and The Peanut Institute. The Plains Better Hometown Program coordinates the festival annually. For more information and to view a schedule of activities, visit the official website of the Plains Peanut Festival at www.plainsgeorgia.com.