Cotton carnival fetes Sikeston’s ag heritage

Benjamin Herrold
Jul 18, 2021
Jul 18, 2021 Updated Jul 20, 2021

A child plays in a cotton field near Sikeston, a gateway to the cotton-growing region of the Missouri Bootheel.
Photo courtesy Kathy Medley/Sikeston Regional Chamber

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

The rides and games at Sikeston’s five-day Cotton Carnival are popular.
Photo courtesy Kathy Medley/Sikeston Regional Chamber

kAmx? >2?J CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D[ 46CE2:? 6G6?ED 3C:?8 E@ >:?5 46CE2:? D62D@?D[ 2?5 72>:=:2C C@FE:?6D 2?5 EC25:E:@?D 7:== 5:776C6?E A2CED @7 E96 42=6?52C[ H96E96C :E :D 8C25F2E:@? :? E96 DAC:?8[ =@42= 72:CD :? E96 DF>>6C @C 4@>>F?:EJ r9C:DE>2D 46=63C2E:@?D]k^Am

kAmx? $:<6DE@?[ =@42E65 :? D@FE962DE |:DD@FC:[ 72== 3C:?8D E96 72>:=:2C 4@EE@? 92CG6DE[ H:E9 E96 3C:89E H9:E6 3@==D :? 7:6=5D =:?:?8 E96 C@25D]k^Am

kAmxE 2=D@ 3C:?8D E96 p>6C:42? {68:@? r@EE@? r2C?:G2=[ 2? 2??F2= 46=63C2E:@? @7 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 :ED 28C:4F=EFC2= 96C:E286] %96 6G6?E 762EFC6D 7@@5[ C:56D[ A2862?ED[ 6?E6CE2:?>6?E 2?5 2 =2C86 A2C256[ 2>@?8 @E96C 24E:G:E:6D] %96 C68:@? 2=D@ 92D 2 r@EE@? #2>3=6 3:4J4=6 C:56 E96 H66<6?5 27E6C[ H:E9 C:56D 8@:?8 3J 4@EE@? 7:6=5D 2?5 E@FCD @7 2C62 4@EE@? 8:?D 2G2:=23=6]k^Am

Sikeston High School marching band — The Sikeston High School plays in the Cotton Carnival parade. The large parade is a key part of the celebration of the cotton harvest, and it features several local bands.
Photo courtesy Kathy Medley/Sikeston Regional Chamber

kAmz2E9J |65=6J[ 6I64FE:G6 G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 E96 $:<6DE@? #68:@?2= r92>36C 2?5 t4@?@>:4 s6G6=@A>6?E[ D2JD E96 =@?8\CF??:?8 r@EE@? r2C?:G2= 46=63C2E:@? :D C@@E65 :? E96 28C:4F=EFC6 @7 E96 C68:@?]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 46=63C2E:@? @7 E96 4@EE@? 92CG6DE[” D96 D2JD]k^Am

kAm%9:D J62C :D E96 ffE9 r@EE@? r2C?:G2=[ D4965F=65 7@C $6AE] ag E9C@F89 ~4E] a 2E E96 y2J466 C@56@ 8C@F?5D :? $:<6DE@?]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dig deeper on how tillage methods affect soil health, yield
USDA unveils conservation program
Iowa museum celebrates farming history
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Tillage practices monitored from space
Blessed ground
McCook Central’s Rieckman to retire after four decades teaching ag
Sandhills cowboy committed to land, cattle, community
Online tool helps take guess-work out of planting
First student, last student: Rieckman retires from McCook Central
Cherished memories documented by Grandma
Outdoor activities ever-present
Bison project reveals nature’s way to McCook native
Duppong's Willow Creek Angus 33rd Annual Sale
Barn Boards and Baling Wire

kAm$:<6DE@? :D =@42E65 AC:>2C:=J :? $4@EE r@F?EJ[ H:E9 2 D>2== A@CE:@? @7 E@H? :? }6H |25C:5 r@F?EJ] |65=6J D2JD E96 4@>>F?:EJ :D D@>6E9:?8 @7 2 82E6H2J E@ E96 C@3FDE 4@EE@?\8C@H:?8 C68:@?D 2=@?8 E96 |:DD:DD:AA: #:G6C 4@CC:5@C 2?5 24C@DD E96 $@FE9]k^Am

kAm“(6 2C6 E96 ?@CE96C?>@DE =@42E:@? E92E C2:D6D 4@EE@?[” D96 D2JD] “*@F H@?’E D66 4@EE@? E:== J@F 86E E@ $4@EE r@F?EJ W5C:G:?8 7C@> E96 ?@CE9X]”k^Am

kAm%96 p>6C:42? {68:@? 3682? E96 46=63C2E:@? :? `hcd[ ;FDE 27E6C E96 6?5 @7 (@C=5 (2C xx[ C@@E65 :? 9@?@C:?8 G6E6C2?D 2?5 E96 4@EE@? 92CG6DE]k^Am

kAm“%96 7:G6\52J 76DE:G2= 9@?@CD >:=:E2CJ G6E6C2?D @7 2== 3C2?496D 2?5 46=63C2E6D E96 2??F2= 4@EE@? 92CG6DE[” |65=6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm$96 D2JD E96 A2C256[ 96=5 @? E96 $2EFC52J @7 E96 42C?:G2=[ :D 2 =2C86 @?6[ 762EFC:?8 >2?J =@42= 9:89 D49@@= 32?5D 2?5 D6G6C2= @E96C 8C@FAD 2?5 7=@2ED]k^Am

kAm“%96 A2C256 :D 9F86[” D96 D2JD] “xE’D @?6 @7 E96 3:886DE :? E96 DE2E6 @7 |:DD@FC:]”k^Am

kAm%9:D J62C[ E96 E96>6 @7 E96 A2C256 7@4FD6D @? 46=63C2E:?8 E96 DE2E6’D =@?8 9:DE@CJ]k^Am

kAm“%9:D J62C’D E96>6 :D E96 3:46?E6??:2= W@7 E96 DE2E6 @7 |:DD@FC:X[” |65=6J D2JD]k^Am

kAm$96 D2JD @C82?:K6CD H6C6 DE:== 23=6 E@ 9@=5 E96 6G6?E =2DE J62C 2?5 :>A=6>6?E D@>6 D276EJ >62DFC6D] $96 D2JD E96 6I4:E6>6?E 7@C E9:D J62C’D 6G6?E :D 9:89[ 2?5 E96 42C?:G2= :D 2 492?46 E@ 86E E@86E96C[ 2 492?46 E@ 4@>6 9@>6] |2?J 2C62 9:89 D49@@=D >2<6 :E E96:C w@>64@>:?8 H66<6?5]k^Am

kAm“x E9:?< :E’D 2 9@>64@>:?8[” |65=6J D2JD] “p =@E @7 E96 4=2DD6D 92G6 E96:C 2==\D49@@= C6F?:@? E92E H66<6?5] %96C6 H:== 36 A6@A=6 E2:=82E:?8 @FE E96C6] … %9:D :D @?6 @7 E96 =2C86DE 6G6?ED :? $:<6DE@?[ 2?5 :E :D 2 9@>64@>:?8 7@C 7@=<D 4@>:?8 324< E@ G:D:E]”k^Am