Downtown Whiskey and Turkey Festival Set for Sept. 12

Kirksville's Whiskey and Turkey Festival will take place from 5-11 p.m. Sept. 12 on the downtown square.

Celebrated annually, the festival honors Kirksville’s founding. As legend goes, the town was named after Jesse Kirk, a local tavern-keeper who offered a whiskey and turkey dinner to surveyors and commissioners who were laying out the new county in exchange for the town being named after him. The story states that the officials accepted Kirk’s offer, establishing the town of Kirksville, which still celebrates this deal every fall with the Whiskey and Turkey Festival.

The event will feature several exhibits, activities, whiskey tastings, axe throwing, food trucks and live music. There will be exhibitor booths honoring area contributors to local turkey hunting, a turkey calling contest, a cornhole tournament and a concert to complete the evening.