Tomorrow night, the Walnut Festival activities will kick off, followed by the actual festival on Saturday, October 3, 2026. Here are all the activities planned for the weekend.
Friday
Friday night kicks off the festivities for the 41st Annual Ozark Black Gold Walnut Festival. The Tom Clary Classic Car Cruise-In will be from 4:30-6:30 pm on the square in Alton, Missouri. All classic and antique vehicles are invited to the cruise-in.
Saturday
On Saturday, October 3rd, the Walnut Festival will begin at 10 am and go until 3 pm on the square.
Contests
There will be a baking, woodworking, and pumpkin carving contest, along with a Walnut Idol Talent Show. The baking and woodworking entries must be submitted to The Local Chapter Coffeehouse and Market, next to JoElla’s Beauty Collective and the Alton Chamber of Commerce booth, respectively, by 10:30 am. The pumpkin carving contest will begin at 10 am on the courthouse lawn. New to the festival is the Walnut Idol Talent Show. Registration is from 10-10:30, and is limited to the first ten people. Prizes will be awarded in all the contests and the talent show.
Music
The festival will begin with the National Anthem at 10 am, followed by the junior high and high school bands. The Creek Rocks will perform between noon and 1 pm; and Sarah Jo Sample & The Tonedaddys will perform between 1:30-2:30 pm.
Vendors
All the vendor spaces have been filled for the Walnut Festival. There will be a variety of food vendors, craft vendors, churches, businesses, raffle drawings, and many other people to buy from and talk to.
Sponsors
There are several sponsors for this year’s Walnut Festival. The festival sponsors are Alton Bank, Harps Grocery Stores, Quick Connection, Young’s Produce, Fuel Express, and West Plains Bank. Southern Bank and Farm Bureau are sponsoring the pumpkin carving contest. K-Kountry 95 is sponsoring the Walnut Idol Talent Show. West Plains Bank is sponsoring the People’s Choice Award in the baking contest. And finally, Pack Mule is providing the clean-up services for the festival.
