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It’s back: Group revives Linwood festival

By Lisa Scheller - | Jul 23, 2003

Andy Smith has his work cut out for him.

Smith, and his wife, Lola, have volunteered to make three gooseberry pies to auction at Saturday’s Linwood Pioneer Festival.

“My wife’s a great cook,” Smith said. “She makes great pies. People just love her pies.”

And, they’re willing to pay top dollar for them.

“I think one of her pies drew about $25 last year,” said Smith, an auctioneer who just happens to be the caller at Saturday’s pie auction, set for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Proceeds will be put into the kitty which will help fund next year’s Pioneer Festival, said Glenda McCleary, one of the festival’s organizers.

Others planning the event are Robin Hilt, Leanne Mathews and Deloris Leonard.

This is the second year that the committee has revived the once-defunct Pioneer Festival.

“We started out with zero funds,” McCleary said. “We had a car wash at Stout’s Corner in Linwood, from there we got a lot of donations last year from different organizations and businesses.”

The funding meant a few events, and several carnival games, could be scheduled for the 2002 festival.

This year the event has grown. Activities planned run the gamut, from a library book sale from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and a street dance that goes from 8 p.m. to midnight.

“We’re also going to have an Old West gunfighters show going on four different times throughout the day,” McCleary said.

The gunfighter shows will begin every hour from 3:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m.

Other events include the annual Lions Club chicken barbecue dinner, set for 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and a parade at 2:30 p.m. From 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tonganoxie disc jockey Bob Norris will provide music. And, the MoKan Gospel Music Association will sing in the community center from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. For those who don’t mind getting a little dirty, there’s a mud volleyball tournament starting at 10 a.m.

Other events include a quilt raffle, face painting, cake walks, a Tae Kwon demonstration and a car show featuring classic cars and race cars.

And, for the pie auctions, McCleary said cooks throughout the Linwood area, including Arley and Lola Smith, will be getting out their recipes, tried and true.

At the Smith’s house, Arley plans to help in stirring up the vinegar and egg crust.

“You’ve got to have vinegar to make that crust flaky,” Smith said.

And the pies, Smith said, are sure to be good if his wife has a hand in making them.

“She makes excellent pies — they are very, very good,” Smith said, chuckling. “I taught her everything she knows.”