Kirksville’s First Downtown Whiskey and Turkey Festival
Main Street Kirksville has announced the launch of the first Downtown Kirksville Whiskey and Turkey festival from 4-7 p.m. May 1. This is a new event they hope will grow and become an annual event in the city.
This event is free and is located on Elson Street between McPherson and Washington, and in the Elson/McPherson parking lot. Downtown restaurants will offer special turkey meals. There will be booths for whiskey tastings as well as exhibits from the National Wild Turkey Federation, taxidermists and turkey calls. There will be ax-throwing and several kids’ events such as a scavenger hunt and pin the tail on the gobbler.
Part of the inspiration behind this event is the story of how Jesse Kirk served a meal of turkey and whiskey to the commissioner who decided to name the town after him. Shag Grossnickle, former Sheriff of Adair County, also played a major role in bringing turkeys back to the area and making it possible for the first spring turkey hunting season in 1967. This festival helps celebrate those stories, as well as Kirksville’s local businesses.
