The 19th annual Smith River Fest drew its largest crowd yet, with more than 2,500 people gathering at the Monogram Smith River Sports Complex on Aug. 23 to celebrate the area’s outdoor resources.
The event featured vendors, live music, yoga, a 5K mud run, a river race, free tubing, and activities for all ages.
“We were busy all day long. Everyone enjoyed the vendors, the food vendor sold tons of food,” said Roger Adams, director of Henry County Parks and Recreation. “The 19th annual Smith River Fest was probably our most successful one ever. The weather was perfect.”
Mud run results
One of the day’s main attractions was the Helgramite Hustle Mud Run, a 5K course that sent runners through a muddy pit.
In the men’s division, Andrew Zachman placed first with a time of 19:57.22, followed by Jackson Gunter at 22:17.48 and James Smith at 23:52.56.
In the women’s division, Megan Chilton won with a time of 27:11.07, with Leah Mlyn in second at 29:09.47 and Bella Sullivan in third at 33:15.84.
“The mud run went great. Lots of people enjoyed the animals, the rock climbing wall, the bounce houses, and the river tubing,” Adams said. “It was just an awesome day all the way around.”
River races
The Smith River was also the setting for the festival’s water competitions. Winners included:
- Solo canoe: Kirk Havens
- Racing kayak (male): Lee Jones
- Kayak, 45 and under: Clayton Setliff
- Tandem canoe: William and River McDuffie
- Stand-up Hat Award: Raymond Oliver
- Kayak, 46 and over: Thomas Taylor
“We had a good flow on the river, and the boat race went well,” Adams said. Free tubing was available before the race, with shuttles providing easy access. “The weather was awesome. It was hot enough to enjoy the cool waters of the Smith River, but not so hot that it was miserable. It was just great weather.”
Looking ahead to the county fair
With the Smith River Fest behind them, Parks and Recreation officials are preparing for the fifth annual Henry County Fair, set for Sept. 24–27 at Martinsville Speedway.
“We have a ton of entertainment options,” Adams said. “People can check out the agricultural contests, see all the animals in the petting zoo, and enjoy a wide assortment of shows you don’t want to miss.”
This year’s lineup will include the Pompeyo Family Dog and Magic Show from America’s Got Talent, and a new dinosaur act called Jurassic Kingdom. Evening concerts will feature Creedence Clearwater Recital on Wednesday, B99’s showcase on Thursday, the Taylor Swift tribute band Love Story on Friday, and Spirit FM Night with Rhett Walker on Saturday. Fireworks will close out the event.
Fall sports and events
Parks and Recreation is also gearing up for fall sports, including flag football, junior tackle, girls basketball, and cheerleading. Registration is still open for some teams.
Upcoming fall and holiday events include the Great Goblin Gallop 5K in October and Christmas programs later in the season.
