Today is the main day of the Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson.

The morning activities are highlighted by the parade, which starts at 11am. Then the afternoon entertainment takes over with axe throwing, the brew station, carnival and touch-a-truck, all starting at 12:30pm. Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community Events Team Chair Philip Heisterkamp describes what people can do during touch-a-truck.

“That’s a way to help acknowledge kind of our local heroes, (including) policemen, firemen, the ambulance. And to see those specialized vehicles that are outfitted for a unique purpose. So you can bring your kid, you can get in them sometimes, you can take pictures around them, and just get a good look inside as to how these things actually operate.”

At 1pm, people can check out the car show near Junkyard Cafe and a juggler, Peter Brunette from Omaha, Nebraska will perform on the southside of the downtown square. Heisterkamp points out before and after Brunette’s show there will be two Latino dance groups performing.

The evening lineup includes a musician Jessica McClintock, which Heisterkamp was impressed with when she last performed at the festival in 2019, and her show begins at 5pm. Then at 8:30pm will be the Sabba Circle Fire Dancers, followed by the main musical act of Dirt Road Divide, and Heisterkamp is thrilled to have them come back this year.

“They played last year and were amazing. They totally exceeded our expectations and so we asked them back to be our big band for Saturday night. (They play) the rock-country cover band sort of thing, with their own spin on how it sounds.”   

Additionally, Raccoon Valley Radio’s Big Red Radio is also broadcasting live from the festival from 9am-6pm today.