Beech Tree News Network

With June past its halfway mark and July approaching, that means the annual Green River Catfish Festival is right around the corner.  Although the Festival's bookend dates are officially July 2-5 with the opening ceremony slated for Wednesday, July 2, other Festival-related event will be starting as early as this weekend with the Green River Road Race.  Other "early" events include cornhole, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Texas Holdem' tournament, and Butler County "Best of the Best" Fair 4-H entries.

Festival-goers can visit a variety of food and novelty booths at the Charles Black Park, as well as listen to a plethora of musical groups and performers and take in carnival rides. 

Perhaps the best-attended events of the entire Festival are the beauty pageants.

 2014 Green River Catfish Festival (GRCF) Schedule of Events

Friday, June 27

6 p.m.Cornhole Tournament - VFW
 

Saturday, June 28

9 a.m.3-Man Basketball Tournament at BCMS Gym

6 p.m.Texas Holdem' Tournament - VFW

8 p.m.GRCR Parade Begins

 

Monday, June 30

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.Butler County "Best of the Best" Fair 4-H Entries Accepted - Sponsored by Butler County Cooperative Extension Service

 

Tuesday, July 1

Butler County "Best of the Best" Exhibit Fair Show Judging

 

Wednesday, July 2-5

5 p.m. - 9 p.m. Butler County "Best of the Best"4-H Viewing

 Wednesday, July 2 Morgantown Elementary Night

5 p.m.Gates Open; Carnival Rides

5 p.m. - 9 p.m. BC Exhibit "Best of the Best" Fair Show Viewing - Eva J. Hawes Building

6 p.m.GRCF Beauty Pageants (Sponsored by Tiffany's Tanning and Beech Tree News)  BUTLER COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY - Amphitheater

8-12 years

13-15 years

16-21 years

5:30 - 7 p.m.Kyle Whitaker - Basketball Court- sponsor Banner-Republican

7:30 p.m.Opening Ceremonies - Brett Guthrie- National Anthem-Kyle Whitaker

8 p.m.Troubadors - Basketball Court

8:00pm Vinyl Dance Party- Back Pavilion

 

Thursday, July 3 Andrea's Mission Night

6 a.m. - 6 p.m.GRCF Fishing Tournament (Green River) Sponsored by the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce

5 p.m.Gates Open; Carnival Rides

5 - 9 p.m.BC Exhibit Fair Show "Best of the Best" at the Eva J. Hawes Building

4 - 9 p.m.Catfish Plates (Cassia & Reedyville Lodges F&AM)

5:30 p.m.Fishin' For The Little One Contest (Beside Chamber Trailer)

6 p.m. Antietam Reunion - Basketball Court - Sponsored by PBI Bank

6 p.m.GRCF Beauty Pageants (Sponsored by Tiffany's Tanning and Beech Tree News)  - Amphitheater

2, 3, 4-5, and 6-7 year olds

7 p.m.Poison Karma - Back Pavilion

8 p.m.Marty Brown-Basketball Court-Sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance and PBI Bank

 

Friday, July 4 Future Farmers of America Night

6 a.m. - 6 p.m.GRCF Fishing Tournament (Green River) Sponsored by the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce

8 a.m.Golf Tournament (Hidden Valley)

9 a.m.Terrapin Race-Ball Fields-Sponsored by Cassia Lodge #272 F&AM

1 p.m.Old Fashioned Day Games-Eva J. Hawes Building/Yard

2 p.mGates Open; Carnival Rides

4-9 p.m.Catfish Plates (Cassia & Reedyville Lodges F&AM)

5:30 p.m.Fishin' For The Little One Contest (Beside Chamber Trailer)

6 p.m.Musical Tribute to America - Basketball Court

7:30 p.m.Wrestling at Eva J. Hawes Building-Sponsored by SERVPRO of Butler County and Hughes and Coleman Injury Lawyers

7:30pm Morgantown Line Dancers

8 p.m.Rose Band-Basketball Court-Sponsored by Morgantown Bank $ Trust (Square Dance)

8 p.m.Sons of the Revolution - Back Pavilion (Sponsored by Blackhawk Composites and Farm Boy Restaurant)

Twilight - FIREWORKS!  Happy Independence Day!

 

Saturday, July 5 Butler County 4-H Night

6 a.m. - 6 p.m.GRCF Fishing Tournament (Green River) Sponsored by the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce

9 a.m.Gates Open

9 a.m.-1 p.m.Tractor Show - Charles Black City Park

10 a.m.GRCF Beauty Pageants (Sponsored by Tiffany's Tanningand Beech Tree News) - Amphitheater

7-12 Months Girls/Boys

13-18 Months Girls/Boys

19-23 Months Girls/Boys

11 a.m.Catfish Cook-Off - Ross  Melton Pavilion Sponsored by Dr. Todd Cohron

11:ooam Dog Show-last pavilion on left Sponsored by Hughes and Coleman Injury Lawyers, Petco, Snodgrass Vet Clinic, Heritage Animal Hospital

11 a.m.-9 p.m.Catfish Plates (Cassia & Reedyville Lodges F&AM)

12 noonCarnival Rides Open

4 p.m.Livestock Show Check-in

5 - 9 p.m.BC Exhibit Fair Show "Best of the Best" - Eva J. Hawes Building

5 p.m.Classic Car/Hot Rod Line-up - Sponsored by Final Finish and Dr. Chhabra Graves and Gilbert Clinic

5:30-8:30 p.m.Classic Car/Hot Rod Parade into Charles Black City Park

5:45 p.m.Livestock Show begins - Eva J. Hawes Building

6 p.m.GRCF Beauty Pageants (Sponsored by Tiffany's Tanning and Beech Tree News) - OPEN PAGEANT - Amphitheater

8-12 Years

13-15 Years

16-21 Years

7 p.m.Closing Ceremony; Tagged Fish Awards - Basketball Court

8 p.m.Don Thomason's All Stars - Basketball Court - Bratcher's Riverside Market, McDonald's, C& L Used Cars, Mayor Linda Keown, Woodfire Pottery Suzanne Renfrow

8 p.m.Finding Skylight-Back Pavilion Sponsored by Single Adults Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

 

The 2014 Green River Catfish Festival Fishing Tournament runs from Thursday, July 3rd through Saturday, July 5th.  Although local anglers won't have the opportunity to fish for a "big one," they will have an opportunity to catch both tagged and non-tagged catfish that range in value from $100 to $2,000 and may include so-called "dry land" fish.  

 The following are tagged fish sponsors:

 Chamber of Commerce - 1 catfish worth $2,000

Chamber of Commerce - 1 "dry land" fish worth $1,000

Woody and Shirley Allen - 1 fish worth $50

Butler County Magistrates - 1st District Stevie Givens, 2nd District Johnny Tuck, 3rd District Chad Tyree, 4th District David Whittinghill, 5th District Keith Daugherty - 1 fish worth $100

Butler County Farm Bureau - 1 fish worth $250

Bluegrass Oral Health Center - 1 fish worth $100

C&L Used Cars - 1 fish worth $250

Chad’s Body Shop & Wrecker Service - 1 fish worth $100

Chad’s Self Storage - 1 fish worth $100

Coleman Brothers - 1 fish worth $100

Delta Faucet - 5 fish worth $100

Dale & Martha Franklin - 5 fish worth $100
Embry & Watts - 3 fish worth $100

Shirley Givens (county clerk), Melissa Cardwell (circuit clerk), Angie Pendley (PVA) - 1 fish worth $150.00

Graves-Gilbert Clinic - 3 fish worth $100

Green River Feed Mill - 1 fish worth $100

Henderson Land Surveying - 1 fish worth $500

Hocker Insurance - 1 fish worth $250

JSJ Express - 2 fish worth $250
Jones Funeral Chapel, Drake’s Farm Service, Aberdeen Grocery, Judge-Executive David Fields, Master One Tax Service - 1 fish worth $1,000

Landmark Realty - 2 fish worth $100

Morgantown Care and Rehab - 1 fish worth $100

Morgantown City Council & Mayor Linda Keown - 1 fish worth $1,000

Morgantown Prescription Center - 1 fish worth $500

Morgantown Utilities - 1 fish worth $100

Quality Supply - 1 worth $100

Randy & Gina Tynes - 1 fish worth $100

SERVPRO - 1 fish worth $100

Smith Funeral Home - 1 fish worth $100

StarTek Recycling - 1 fish worth $1,000

Whitetail Properties Land Specialist Boyce Flener - 2 fish Worth $100 each Embry & Watts, CPAs -$100 Special Fish Morgantown Utilities-$100 Special Fish Butler County Farm Bureau Insurance-$100 Special Fish

The participant who buys fishing ticket and catches the biggest catfish tagged or not tagged of the three days will receive $2,000 guaranteed sponsored by The Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

The biggest tagged or not tagged catfish on all three days will receive $100 guaranteed - sponsored one day by Embry & Watts, CPAs, Butler County Farm Bureau Insurance Company, and Morgantown Utilities, respectively.

For example, the biggest fish weighed in each day will receive $100, then the biggest of the three days will receive the $2,000.  This prize is determined by weight only and does not have to be tagged.  (A complete list of rules for the fishing tournament can be found at the end of this story.)

Entries Accepted - June 30  - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Eva J. Hawes Building)

Judging:  July 1

Project Viewing:  July 2-5; 5 to 9 p.m.

4-H Project Show Entries:

Horticulture & Plant Science

Crops

Electric

Wood Science

Ecology & Natural Resources

Forestry

Geology

Arts & Crafts

Photography

Sewing

Needlework

Foods

Food Preservations

Home Environment

Consumer & Financial Ed

Leadership & Communications

Trends & Traditions

Open Division Entries:

Clothing, Quilts, Stitchery, Arts, Photography, Breads, Pies, Candy, Garden Produce, Largest Vegetable, Canning.

 
The following rules apply to the GRCF Fishing Tournament:

 *To be eligible for the prize money, you must purchase a fishing ticket.

*Fishing tickets purchased after the start of the fishing tournament,which begins Thursday, July 3rd  at 6 a.m. and ends Saturday, July 5th at 6 p.m. can be eligible for $1K "dry land" fish only .

*Winners will be announced and prize money will be awarded during the festival closing ceremony at the Charles Black Park on Saturday, July 5th at 8:00 p.m.

*All rules and regulations of the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife apply to this contest.

*All contestants must have a valid Kentucky fishing license.

*No person shall take a fish by any method other than a pole and line in hand. (No commercial gear, trout lines, nets, etc.)

*Only one pole per person.

*Any person who enters private land to fish without written or oral consent will be subject to a fine.

*The river and contest will be under constant surveillance by officials of the County and of the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. 

*All participants must purchase their fishing ticket to participate in the fishing tournament.  All tickets purchased after the tournament begins will only be eligible for the $1,000 "dry land" fish. 

*The fish must be caught between the hours of the tournament and presented alive and in good condition to the KY Department of Fish & Wildlife or the check in station.

*If you are caught in any violation of any of the rules of the contest, you will be disqualified.

*All winners are subject to a lie detector test. Results are final.

*Members of the Catfish Festival Committee and their immediate families are excluded from participation.

* Any changes in the contest will be posted the day before the tournament at the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce.

*All tickets must be signed at the time of purchase. All tickets will be checked prior to the start of the tournament to insure all signatures are signed and visible.

 2014 Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

 President - James Runion

Vice-President - Randell Gaskey

Secretary - Donna Morris

Board Members - Josh Givens, Amanda Neighbors, Chad Bratcher, Roger Givens, Chad Johnson, Shirley Allen, Roger Southerland, Supt. Scott Howard, Mayor Linda Keown, Judge-Executive David Fields

Nightly Gate Admission is $4; Age 5 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

All entry forms, rules and regulations can be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce office, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. 2:30 p.m. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Chamber of Commerce at 270.526.6827.