We were in Magnolia, Arkansas (Suzanne's home town) for the weekend
and as "luck?" would have it caught the 20th annual Purple Hull Pea Festival in Emerson, about 15 miles South of Magnolia, almost to the Louisiana line. Yes, it was the biggest thing going on in Emerson (Pop 392). The heat was in excess of 100 degrees but everyone was having such a great time. The biggest event was the annual World Championship Rotary Tiller Race. 
These are no ordinary roto tillers. These had souped up motorcycle engines and covered the 200 foot track in under 6 seconds!!! Dust flies eevrywhere, everyone laughs and they do it again!The festival also featured a genuine wedding (see pic). Don't ask me why they did this but it was the real thing and not "shotgun". The wedding was held while one of the tillers was being repaired. Since the tiller was supposed to be in the neext race the announcer decided "we'll move the weddin' up and do it now"! Yes it was weird but it was sort of fun.
The next big event or "highlight" was the anual Larry the Cable Guy Look-Alike" contest. Yep, he pretty much looked like him and could say "Git 'er Done" like the real guy.
There were more festivities including the purple hull pea dinners, pea shelling contests and recipe contests but the heat was getting to me so I had to leave. It was an afternoon of small town fun with wonderful people and I recommend it to anyone!
