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 This youngster enjoys the simple pleasures at the 14th Annual RC-Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
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Jenny Hunt of Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce said she was delighted at the turnout and noted that the festival itself was a free attraction in a time when people are trying to save money. While there was no admission charge, there were plenty of chances to spend money, with vendors and the town's regular merchants selling everything from deep-fried Moon Pies to wind chimes. One brightly-garbed vendor called herself the "Shea Butter Lady," and presented a jar of shea butter moisturizer to Bell Buckle's first lady, Carla Webb, who was one of the emcees for the event.
The day began with 820 runners answering the call for the annual 10-mile run. Christopher England, 34, of Murfreesboro, was the overall winner at 57:01, with Emily Hardin, 24, the women's division winner at 1:04:59. In the master division, for runners over 40, John Lovell took men's honors at 1:10:33, with Vicki Ashbrock at 1:14:05. The grand masters division, for runners over 50, was won by Bill Dyer at 1:05:57.
Among the participants was State Sen. Jim Tracy, who crossed the line in 1:49.
"I'm just happy to finish," said Tracy, who competed in last year's Marine Corps Marathon in Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Last year, Mark DeCarlo of the Travel Channel, while taping a segment about the festival, challenged Linda Simmons of Bell Buckle Country Store to try to prepare a homemade Moon Pie. That gave festival organizers the idea to hold a cookoff this year, with products made from either Moon Pie or RC Cola. All of the entrants chose the former.
The king and queen of this year's festival were actor/director Lane Davies, who is directing the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival in Bell Buckle, and Dr. Phyllis Qualls-Brook, assistant commissioner of Tennessee Community and Industry Relations.
Other festival highlights included the annual "synchronized wading" skits and the cutting of a Moon Pie said to be the world's largest.