TNT Fest begins Friday

Jacksboro’s Festival, TNT Fest, is this weekend.

The main event is Saturday but there are a couple of tournaments going on beginning Friday, including a youth baseball tournament, sponsored by the Jacksboro Youth Sports Association, which will bring in teams from as far away as the Metroplex for ages 8-12.

Games begin Friday evening and run through Sunday at the Twin Lakes Fields.

For those who wish to take part in something fun, a pickle ball tournament will be held at the Fair Barn with games starting at 9 a.m. each day. Nine courts will be placed inside the Barn at a time. Four pickle ball courts can be placed inside a regulation tennis court. Men’s, women’s, and co-ed teams are eligible. Intermediate and advanced teams will play.

Entry fee is $80 a team with all proceeds going toward construction of the new skate park.

The annual TNT Fest Cook-Off sponsored by the Jacksboro Fire Department and sanctioned by the Lone Star Barbecue Society, will be Friday and Saturday as well with cooking being done in pork spare ribs, chicken, brisket, dutch over dessert and beans.Entry fee is $150 for the meats and $10 each for dessert and beans.

Preregistration available at www.jacksborofire.com or registration on-site is good too.

For information contact Jason Jennings at 507-1594 or Diego Flores at 229-4047. Email is cookoff@jacksborofire.com

Moving into Saturday, a horseshoe tournament will open the day. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the first shoes to be thrown around 10 a.m. in the singles competition. Singles registration is $10 with doubles $20.

Later in the afternoon, Jack County STOMP will have a chicken poop bingo around 5 p.m. near the large pavilion. Squares are $20 each with only 100 being sold. The winner gets $500.

Squares can be purchased at the event or in advance by calling 507-5110.

There will be lots of fun kid things to do as well. Thanks to a donation, a free train will take people throughout the area from 4 to 8 p.m. Spokesperson Leslie Jackson with the city says there will be two bounce houses and a water house. Cost will be a $10 wristband which gains access to all the carnival rides as well.

From 5 to 7 p.m. Faith Community Hospital will be offering child safety lessons down by the lake with free bike helmets and other items available.

At 6 p.m., the baby beautiful contest will be held. Divisions will be broken up every three months up to age two based on a July 1 birth date. Registration can be done at City Hall in advance or at the stage before the event.

At 7 p.m. the non-motorized vehicle parade will begin. Adults and kids are invited to decorate their vehicles in advance or at the event starting around 6:30 p.m. Following the parade, 80s cover band Tempting Disaster will take the stage. Fireworks will commence around 9:30 p.m.

Jackson said as of Thursday morning just under 35 vendors including 14 food vendors had registered. Kona Ice and Funky Munky are just two of vendors expected along with a nut roasting truck.

Vendors are still being accepted by calling 567-6321 and speaking to Jackson. Any person or organization willing to sponsor an event can do so by calling the same number.