Pics-n-Clicks:  a collection of pictures and stories that relate to the Popcorn Festival of Clay County

 

All pic's and articles were collated by Glen Brown

 

Popcorn Festival Receives Signed Billy Joel Guitar

The Popcorn Festival has chosen former Northview High School student Laruen Reberger to serve as the festival ambassador. She was given the honor after she won the essay scholarship sponsored by the Festival in August of this year. She will serve in various capacities throughout the Festival. The $500 scholarship was presented to Ms. Reberger at Northview Senior Awards night by Festival Scholarship Committee members, Rana Hill and Alice Wools. Ms. Reberger will put this scholarship, along with many others, to good use as a freshman at Rose Hulman Institute of Technology where she is planning to study biomedical engineering.......(more>>>)

A New Approach to Scholarship Pageants

In 2009, the Festival Board had to decide how to offer scholarships in a way that both males and females can participate equally.  During that year and most of early 2010, the Scholarship Committee composed or Rose Mary Price, Rana Hill, and Alice Wools sat out to make rules to get away from a Pageant Scholarship that was biased toward males to a Scholarship Essay Contest that anyone can enter.  It was decided that an essay contest would be done along with interviews of all the candidates by the Redenbacher family and/or the Festival Board.  ......(more>>>)

Popcorn Festival Receives Signed Billy Joel Guitar

The Popcorn Festival now has a Nashville Connection and that means Tennessee’s Music Capital. When an anonymous person contacted President Evelyn Brown about giving a signed Ovation guitar by a well-known artist to the Festival; she never expected to get it signed by artist, writer, and singer Billy Joel. Although, Billy Joel is known as “the piano man”, he also plays a guitar. Many people know that Billy Joel is better known as a singer who has won “Record of the Year”, “Song of the Year”, several Grammy Awards, “Best Rock Performer” and other titles that are too numerous to list here......(more>>>)

Festival Dinner/Dance A Big Success

The Dinner and Dance that took place at the Brazil Elk’s Club on 04 August 2007 was a great success.  The hosts, servers, bus people, and chefs were all dressed in black slacks, black tuxedo bow ties, white shirts, and red name tags; reminiscent of an Italian Ristorante with a bowtie flair that even Orville Redenbacher would have approved himself. The formal attire set the formal mood of this event.   It also gave the event an air of formality but the customers loved the dress casual or casual wear.  It was also an honor to have Pam and Jim Bertoli join us.  Ms. Bertoli is the granddaughter of Orville Redenbacher.  The customers could not say enough good things about this event and the members felt we had the best customers ever and it was them that made it a success. .....(more>>>)

Orville Redenbacher, Bobble Head

“Festival was proud to highlight Clay County artist John Rodgers during our Popcorn Festival 2006 who creates bobble heads of famous race car drivers and country-n-western performers.  John Rodgers was commissioned by the Festival to do a bobble head of Orville Redenbacher to be displayed at Popcorn House.  Mr. Rodgers’ creations are one-of-a-kind and this is no exception.  This was numbered, signed, and listed exclusively for the Festival.  Each popped kernel was hand-created and added to the popcorn box individually.  The bobble-head has caught the eye of ConAgra Snack Foods Division and the advertising firm of Ketchum, Inc. who manufactures and promotes the famous gourmet popcorn.  Mr. Rodgers has also been involved with doing the illustrations in an Indianapolis 500 Racing book authored by Mike King (voice of the Indy 500 Race).  Mr. Rodgers and his son Brad will have a booth at this year’s Popcorn Festival for you to see and enjoy their artistic pieces.”

Food Network Channel Visits Brazil, IN

Lights! Camera! Action! Here Comes Al Roker Productions! Earlier this year, the Popcorn Festival was notified by an associate producer at Al Roker Productions in New York City who operates the Food Network cable channel about doing a show about Orville Redenbacher, his hometown, and the Popcorn Festival who honors popcorn and the Popcorn King. The Food Network planned on their show Foodography, called Titans of Taste: Supermarket Sensations. .....(more>>>)

The Redenbacher Family Has Been Part of the Festival Since 2003! The Redenbacher Family - Popcorn Festival Members Back: James Bertoli, James Tuminello, Nancy Withers (Festival), Rose Mary Price (Festival), Jim Hicks (Festival), Evelyn & Glen Brown (Festival). Front: Pam Bertoli (Grddaughter), Gail Redenbacher Tuminello (daughter), Jackson & Kurt Bertoli (Grtgrandsons). (Not pictured: Grddaughter Julie Gallant).