This Saturday, Oct. 17, thousands of people will descend upon Whitesboro to celebrate the town’s 60th Annual Peanut Festival, hosted by the Whitesboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The event runs from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Live music will kick off the morning, followed by a welcome from Whitesboro Mayor Jeff Butts on the Main Stage (located at Center and Main Streets) at 9:30 a.m. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. This year’s parade theme is “Peace, Love and Peanuts,” in recognition of the event’s 60th year. Beloved local Hank Lovejoy will serve as Grand Marshal.
Following the parade, attendees can enjoy a day of food, fun and live entertainment. More than 200 vendor booths will line the streets of downtown, providing a multitude of shopping opportunities. Attendees should also visit the car show at Trollinger Park. Presented in part by the Southern Cross Car Club, the show will feature cars, trucks and motorcycles.
A food court will offer a variety of food and drinks, from corn dogs and roasted corn to lemonade and sweets. There will also be two alcoholic drink booths setup throughout this year’s festival.
The First United Methodist Church (FUMC) will be providing their popular barbecue lunch tradition. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., festival-goers can purchase a lunch featuring brisket and pork for just $15 at the church.
Announcements and live entertainment will be held on the Main Stage all day long, with the band Texoma Outlaws headlining the lineup in the afternoon. From local karate demonstrations to live music, it’s sure to be a fun day.
Carnival rides and midway games will be set up in the vacant parking lot behind Tender Smokehouse BBQ at Hwy. 377 and Hwy. 82 access road. The carnival will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Parking is available in the field behind Sonic. Wristbands can be purchased in advance for $25 each; those purchased the day of are $30. These wristbands are only accepted on Thursday and Friday and allow users to go on as many rides as they like.
More fun for the kids can be found at Kid Alley in the Church of Christ parking lot (at the corner of Union and Wainwright Streets). There, kids can enjoy bounce houses, games, a petting zoo and Grimace and the Hamburglar will make an appearance. Wristbands are available for a nominal fee.
This year, the Whitesboro Chamber is selling tickets for the chance to win a 2026 Chevy Trax. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased via Venmo (@WhitesboroChamberofCommerce) or by calling the Chamber at 903-564-3331.
With several road closures throughout downtown, festival-goers are welcome to park at the Middle School, stadium and carnival parking lots. A free shuttle will transport people into town for the day’s festivities.
For continued fun, everyone is welcome to attend a Peanut Festival After Party held at Cook’s Main Stage in downtown Whitesboro. From 7-10 p.m., The Flatbed Trailers will provide live entertainment. Attendees (who are 21 and up) can BYOB. Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased at Cook’s Main Street Mercantile or with cash at the door (as available). (This event is not sanctioned through the Whitesboro Chamber of Commerce.)
To learn more about this year’s event (including an entertainment schedule and event map), see the Peanut Festival insert found inside this issue of the News-Record.
