The 55th Jesse James Festival will return to Kearney for two weekends of community entertainment Sept. 12 and Sept. 18–20, with most activities centered at Jesse James Park. The schedule features a demolition derby, barbecue cookoff, downtown parade, arts and crafts, tournaments, live music and two rodeo performances.

Opening night: Demolition derby

The festival begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, with a demolition derby and Kids Power Wheels presented by Grandstand Attractions Inc. Robinson Chainsaw Carvings will be displayed ahead of an evening auction. Admission is free for children 6 and younger and $15 for ages 7 and older. Pit passes cost an additional $25, and no one younger than 13 will be allowed in the pits.

Friday: Barbecue registration and dancing

Activities resume Friday, Sept. 18, when registration for the 38th annual Jesse James BBQ Cookoff and 35th State Championship runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., Tami Davis will lead free line-dancing instruction at the Jesse James Park Pavilion. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, and DJ D’Gatsby will keep the music going from 8 to 10 p.m.

Saturday: Parade, contests, rodeo and dance

Saturday, Sept. 19, opens with the E. Howard Porter Post 5717 VFW country breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the VFW Hall. Parade lineup staging and Little Mr. and Miss registration begin at 8 a.m., followed by Little Mr. and Miss judging at 8:30 a.m. in front of Kearney Feed Supply. Parade entries will be judged at 9 a.m. in float, non-motorized, motorized, equestrian and crowd-pleaser categories, with plaques for first place and ribbons for second and third. A traveling trophy will honor the entry that best represents the parade theme.

The barbecue competition runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with winners announced at 4 p.m. A disc golf tournament begins at 9:30 a.m. at Jesse James Park, and the downtown Kearney parade steps off at 10 a.m. Arts & Crafts Alley will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A free, eight-class garden tractor pull starts at 11 a.m. in the demolition derby arena.

Mud volleyball registration begins at noon, followed by a captains meeting at 12:30 p.m. and tournament play at 1 p.m. Mutton busting registration for children 6 and younger begins at 4 p.m.; riders will be selected at 5 p.m., when a $10 registration fee is due, and the ride begins at 5:30 p.m.

The URA/MRCA Rodeo, presented by C.R. McKellips Rodeo Co. Inc., begins at 6 p.m. and includes a Kids Boot Scramble and Robinson Chainsaw Carvings display and auction. Admission is free for children 6 and younger and $15 for ages 7 and older. Rodeo contestants may register by phone from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at 417-876-2353.

The evening closes with a free festival dance featuring Pistol Creek from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Attendees younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The dance is presented by the Kearney St. Michael’s Knights of Columbus.

Sunday: Car show, fishing and final rodeo

Sunday, Sept. 20, begins at 9 a.m. with on-site registration for the Jesse James Open Car Show at $20 per vehicle. The top 30 cars will receive plaques, and drawings are planned for a 50/50 prize, a cooler and half of a hog. The Vincents will perform live from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The car show opens to the public at 10 a.m., with winners and the hog-drawing recipient announced at 2 p.m.

A free kids fishing tournament runs from 9 to 11 a.m. at Jesse James Park, with divisions for ages 0–6 and 7–12. High Point Cowboy Church will present a cowboy worship service at 10 a.m. near the rodeo arena. Arts & Crafts Alley will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the free Jesse James Open Tractor Show begins at 11 a.m.

Sunday’s mutton busting registration starts at 12:30 p.m. for children 6 and younger. Riders will be selected at 1:30 p.m., when the $10 fee is due, and the ride begins at 2 p.m. The festival concludes with a URA/MRCA Rodeo at 2:30 p.m., featuring another Kids Boot Scramble. Rodeo admission is free for children 6 and younger and $15 for ages 7 and older.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.