by Mary Rupert
The 32nd annual Turner Days festival, Oct. 8 and 9, features a parade and festival.
“The highlight is the community coming together to celebrate Turner,” said Vikki Mullins, publicist for Turner Days.
Turner is a tight-knit community with its own school district, which some people do not realize, she added.
“You get to see the people you’ve known since kindergarten, even though you’ve graduated 20 years ago,” she added.
Volunteers, many connected with the schools, are working on the annual festival. Sponsors include the Turner Recreation Commission.
The parade will start at 10 a.m. Saturday near Turner High School, near South 55th and Key Lane, and will travel on 55th to Inland Drive, Mullins said.
She said much of the festival takes place at Steineger Field, near 58th and Metropolitan, behind Turner Middle School.
Turner Days usually draws an attendance between 700 and 1,000, she said. Hours of the festival will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sunny and nice fall weather is in the forecast for both days this year. There is no admission charge for the festival and parade, although there is a fee to have a booth, to be in the parade, to run in the 5K, to play volleyball or to be in the car show.
A 5K run will kick off events at 7:30 a.m. Saturday.
A car show will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday on the upper parking lot at Turner Middle School, she said. It is one of the most popular events at Turner Days, and has been growing every year, she added.
The festival will include several bands and student groups performing, along with food, games, and craft booths, Mullins said.
The Turner High School choir is scheduled to perform the national anthem at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, with more music by the choir at 12:30 p.m. Awards are scheduled following the parade. There will be a Lil Mister and Miss Turner selected, as well as Walk of Fame inductees. A karate demonstration is planned at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Mud volleyball will be offered both days at Steineger Field, Mullins said. Adult mud volleyball tournament will be on Saturday, while the high school mud volleyball tournament will be held on Sunday.
The Olive Branch Ministries service will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday, and there will be a performance at 10 a.m. Sunday by the Church of the Risen Lamb.
For more information about Turner Days, including a schedule of events, visit https://www.facebook.com/turnerdaysofficial/. More information is at http://turnerdays.com/download.html.