Those who are eager for some summer fun may want to check out Stephenville’s annual Moo-La Fest set for Thursday, June 5 through Saturday, June 7 at Stephenville City Park.
The event is free, however, costs are associated with tickets for carnival rides, food and drink.
On Thursday, June 5 Moo-La Fest kicks off with Carnival Americana from 4-11 p.m. Arm bands for the carnival are $30, tickets are $1 and each ride is 3-5 tickets, organizers said.
At 6 p.m. Thursday, there is Moo-ve It, a 5K and 1 Mile Fun run. Early registration is $25 and $30 on race day and takes participants on a gorgeous route through the scenic City Park & Bosque River Trail in Stephenville.
Finisher medals will be given out to all participants of the 5k & 1 mile fun run.
From 7-10 p.m. Scott Kirby and The Marshall Tucker Band will perform.
On Friday, June 6, Carnival Americana will once again be in action from 4-11 p.m., food and an artisan market with local vendors will be open from 4-10 p.m. as well as mini golf tournaments and the Texas Farm Bureau Mobile Learning Lab.
From 7-10 p.m. Scott Kirby and Mac McAnally will perform.
On Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there will be a mobile dairy classroom, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. there will be food and artisan vendors, mini golf tournaments, the Texas Farm Bureau Mobile Learning Barn. The carnival will be running from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
From noon to 2 p.m. 92.1 Hank FM Remote Personality, from 2 to 4 p.m. Hank FM will be doing a kids’ party patrol, noon to 8 p.m. there will be a mechanical bull, at 6 p.m. there will be Bah Ram Ewe Mutton Bustin’ and from 6 to 10 p.m. there will be a butt sketch artist to capture posterior poses.
The event concludes with live music by Scott Kirby and Rodney Crowell from 7-10 p.m.
Moo-La Fest was founded as a way to spotlight the local dairy industry and is named for the fiberglass Holstein cow statue in the center of downtown Stephenville, which honors the county’s dairy heritage. The statute was put into place in 1972.
In the fall of 1972 the dairy industry brought $10,000,000 yearly to the economy and Moo-la was called the “$10,000,000 Cow”. A sign was placed on each side of the pedestal holding Moo-la. One side said, “This is Dairy Country” and the other side read “Moo-la $10,000,000 Cow,” according to information found on the Stephenville Chamber website.
Sometime in the mid-80’s Erath County became the number one milk producing county in the state and number 10 in the nation. While many counties around Erath and on toward the west suffered from a slowed economy, Erath continued in prosperity, a situation directly linked to the production of milk.
Each June, Erath County celebrates National Dairy Month.