It is that time of the year. Fall is here, and those who love the outdoors and hunting are getting prepared for hunting season. Fall also means that on Saturday around the Courthouse Square in downtown Woodville, we will have the fourth annual Woodville Deer and Wildlife Festival, which has been awarded “Best Special Event” by the Mississippi Main Street Association. Through this festival, which has grown and improved each year, we celebrate the cultural, culinary, artistic and outdoor heritage of Woodville and Wilkinson County.

We have many events planned. One of the events, which I always enjoy, is the Wild Game Cook-Off. Prizes will be awarded in venison, fowl, hog and other wild game, and the cook-off will be judged by area professionals and chefs. We have many great wild game cooks in our area, and we will have taste tickets available for sale, so that, after the judging, you can sample the delicious food to see if you agree with the judges.

We will have Art Under the Oaks, a juried arts exhibition, where more than 20 artists, including photographers, print makers, ceramic artists, wood carvers/sculptors, basket-makers, glass artists and mixed media/assemblage artists will compete for cash prizes and have an opportunity to display and sell their art. Also, there will be several artist demonstrators: Mary Liberty, quilting fabric works of art; Dunbar McCurley, hand-hewing beautiful wooden bowls; Dorothy McQuarter, weaving unique pine needle baskets; and Kenny Scoggins, using a chainsaw to create animals out of local wood.

In addition, Mike Clark of St. Louis will carve a cypress dugout canoe, which will become a commemorative canoe to celebrate Woodville’s 200th birthday.

We will have a deer and wildlife mounts exhibit where you can see record deer harvested in Wilkinson County and also mounts of turkeys and wild hogs.

Kevin Windham, area resident, professional supercross racer and sportsman, will also have a booth on the square.

For those interested in reptiles, herpetologist Terry Vandeventer will be in town with his snake show, and Mississippi’s Natural Science Museum’s hands-on, interactive reptile exhibit will also be set up.

Other activities and exhibits include a wildlife photo exhibit, a pumpkin patch (carving), face painting, pixie the clown, laser target shoot, beading art, leaf print art and a photo booth where you can have your picture made with Smokey the Bear or Miss Mississippi.

There will be a food court with several area vendors, and throughout the day there will be live music by Robert Cage, Waylon Mills, Mojo Mud, Lil Poochie, Donnell Sullivan and the Veal Brothers.

We invite all to come to Woodville and enjoy the Woodville Deer and Wildlife from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Admission wristbands for the day are $5. Children under 5 get in free. We plan on having a great time, and I hope to see you there.

For more information, call 601-888-3998 or visit www.deerandwildlifefestival.com.

Dr. Delton Moore is a dentist and outdoor enthusiast who lives in Woodville. He was the first festival chairman in 2008.