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Published: 6/30/2012 | Updated: 6/17/2013
By ANNALISE FRANK
Herald-Whig Staff Writer
HANNIBAL, Mo. -- The nationally recognized 57th annual National Tom Sawyer Days celebration starts Wednesday, and this year's four-day event includes a raffle that Adrienne Abright, who does public relations for the Hannibal Jaycees, anticipates will be "one of the biggest and most successful fundraisers the ... Jaycees have ever done." One entrant into the new $50-per-entry Ultimate Family Fun Raffle will win a package of tickets to watch St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams, a hotel gift card, a gas card and other items valued at about $28,000. National Tom Sawyer Days is a festival steeped in tradition, but the family-oriented four-day stretch of events, contests, music and food also boasts several new additions this year. Abright said she recently learned that New York documentarian Mike Bade chose to be in Hannibal this week as a filming location for his documentary, "America for President," because it attracts visitors from across the nation. Bade plans bring his crew and a replica of a famous presidential desk, the Resolute, used in the Oval Office to Hannibal. He'll be filming attendees sitting at the desk in several locations around the downtown area. The mission is to ask "ordinary Americans" what they'd do if they were president, Abright said. "It's not supposed to lean towards any one political ideology," she added. "The premise is we are all the president, we are all America. It's kind of an extension of that idea." The festivities begin Monday with a pet show in Central Park. The 36th annual Samuel L. Clemens Arts and Crafts Festival, presented by the Kiwanis Club, begins Tuesday. A parade at 10 a.m., a carnival, the announcement of this year's Tom and Becky ambassadors and other scattered events throughout Wednesday will culminate in fireworks blasted over the Mississippi River in honor of Independence Day. The Hannibal Community Promotions Group, formed by the City of Hannibal, will handle the costs and production of the display for the first time. "That was a huge relief for the Jaycees, because that was a lot of extra legwork and fundraising," Abright said. Many events are back again, such as the national fence painting contest, the frog jumping contest, mud volleyball and live music for adults at Tanyard Gardens. "Harkening back to Tom Sawyer, a lot of events are based on things from Mark Twain's literary works or history," Abright said. On the Web: hannibaljaycees.org -- afrank@whig.com/221-3360 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Monday, July 2 1 p.m. -- Pet Show judging, Central Park (registration at noon) Tuesday, July 3 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. -- Arts and Crafts, Central Park Wednesday, July 4 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- Arts and Crafts, Central Park 10 a.m. -- Parade (registration at 9 a.m., Save-A-Lot parking lot on Broadway) 10 a.m. -- Jones and Company Carnival opens, foot of Broadway. Armband hours 12:30-4:30 p.m. Noon -- Tom and Becky contest winners announcement, Central Park Noon -- Tanyard Gardens beer tents open, North Main 1:30 p.m. -- Back Seat Driver contest, Tanyard Gardens vendor area (registration at 1 p.m.) 2:30 p.m. -- Tom and Becky relay, Tanyard Gardens vendor area (registration at 2 p.m.) 3:30 p.m. -- Mighty "Miss" Raft Race, Tanyard Gardens Vendor Area (registration at 3 p.m.) 4 p.m. -- Kiwanis Club's "SUV-ATV-15G" (winner's choice) raffle drawing, Central Park 6 p.m. -- Jaycees live entertainment, "Rock and Roll Revival," free admission, closes at 9:30 p.m. Dusk -- Fireworks on the riverfront Thursday, July 5 10 a.m. -- Jones and Company Carnival opens, foot of Broadway. Armband hours 12:30-4:30 p.m. 5 p.m. -- Mud volleyball, media and junior tournaments, Hill and Front Friday, July 6 10 a.m. -- Jones and Company Carnival opens, foot of Broadway. Armband hours 12:30-4:30 p.m. 2:30-7 p.m. -- Hannibal Cannibal pre-registration, Tom and Huck statue 5 p.m. -- Mud volleyball, Hill and Front 6 p.m. -- Local fence painting contest, North Main by Mark Twain's Boyhood Home (registration at 5 p.m.) 6 p.m. -- Tanyard Gardens beer tents open, North Main 8 p.m. -- Jaycees live entertainment, "The Pimpkatz," $3 cover, closes at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, July 7 7 a.m. Hannibal Cannibal, Tom and Huck statue (pre-registration at 5:30 a.m.) 7 a.m. -- Mud Volleyball, Hill and Front 9 a.m. -- The Fun Run, Tom and Huck statue 10 a.m. -- Jones and Company Carnival opens, foot of Broadway. Armband hours 12:30-4:30 p.m. 10 a.m. -- Tanyard Gardens beer tents open 10:30 a.m. -- Tomboy Sawyer Contest, old bridge entrance (registration at 10 a.m.) 11 a.m. -- Tricycle races, Tanyard Garden, North Main (registration at 10:30 a.m.) 11 a.m. -- Washers tournament, Tanyard Gardens, North Main (registration at 10:30 a.m.) 4:30 p.m. -- Frog jump contest, Tanyard Gardens, North Main (registration at 3:30 p.m.) 6 p.m. -- State fence painting contest, North Main by Mark Twain's Boyhood Home (registration at 5 p.m.) 8 p.m. -- Jaycees live entertainment, "Madd Hoss Jackson," $3 cover, closes at 12:30 a.m. Sunday, July 8 7 a.m. -- Mud Volleyball, Hill and Front 6 p.m. -- National fence painting contest, North Main by Mark Twain's Boyhood Home (registration at 5 p.m.)
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