Festival celebrates Hill Country’s favorite fruit with music, rodeo, parade, and more

One of the first and finest festivals of the summer celebrates the mighty peach. The 60th Stonewall Peach JAMboree is Thursday-Saturday, June 17-19, at the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce grounds, 250 Peach St.

The three-day festival highlights the peach country of Stonewall and Gillespie County and the people who grow them, preserve them, bake them, and eat them.

The event starts at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 17, with a slack rodeo. Admission is free.

The main rodeo is Friday and Saturday nights. Gates open at 6 p.m., and the Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association action starts at 8 p.m.

On Friday at 7:30 p.m., the Peach Queen contestants are introduced. The coronation takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the rodeo.

Live music includes Texas country artist Aaron Watson on Friday and Americana act Reckless Kelly on Saturday. Both concerts and dances take place after the rodeo ends. Tickets are $25 for each show or $40 for both. Entrance for ages 2-12 is $5 each night. Those 2 and younger get in free. Discounted tickets for first responders, medical personnel, military members, and ages 65 and up are $20 a night or $35 for a weekend pass.

Tickets are available at the gate (cash only) or online (credit/debit cards accepted). An ATM will be near the gate. On Saturday, the grounds open at 7 a.m. Admission is free for the daytime Peach JAMboree events. The schedule includes:

• 8:30-10 a.m. — baking, preserves, salsa contestant check-in
• 9 a.m. — parade judging
• 10 a.m. — Peach JAMboree Parade
• 10:45 a.m. — baking, preserves, and salsa judging
• 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — Peach Patch kids' area at Stonewall Elementary School, 220 Peach St.
• 11 a.m. to noon — peach show entry check-in
• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — live music by Madison Rogers
• 1-3 p.m. — 42 dominoes tournament
• 1 p.m. — washer pitching contest ($20 entry fee)
• 2 p.m. — peach eating and peach pit spitting contests
• 3 p.m. — queen contestant public interviews 4 p.m. — peach show and baking auction

The festival also has vendors and food and drinks available.

For more information visit the Stonewall Peach JAMboree’s webpage or contact the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce at 830-644-2735 or stonewallchamber@gmail.com.

editor@thepicayune.com

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