The 17th Annual Festival on the Rails continues in McNeil through this evening, Saturday, April 12, 2025.
Games, music, food, fireworks and the Pork Chop Cook-off return for the 2025 event. Door prizes will be awarded through the day.
Pageant awards and the Tresure Hunt award will be presented at noon. The $500 prize will go to David and Debbie Shackelford, who found the prize on one of the railroad crossing signs at Oak Street. Camden Iron and Metal was the sponsor of the Treasure Hunt.
The 870 Freestyle Dancers perform from 12:10-12:40 p.m.
The KDAS Dancers take the stage at 1-1:30 p.m.
Winners of the Car Show will be named at 2:30 p.m.
Baggo winners will be presented at 4 p.m.
Cook-off teams are vying for a top prize of $1,400, won last year by the Family Traditions team of Matthew Sherman and Don Sherman. Other prizes are second place, $850; third place, $600; fourth place, $400; and fifth place, $250. Prizes are sponsored by JEVAC.
Pork chop tickets are $15 each. Any tickets that remain available will be at the information tent near the McNeil Fire Department.
The serving line opens at 5 p.m. Saturday. Awards will be announced at 7:30 p.m. In addition to pork chops, the meals include a baked potato, corn on the cob, roll and a drink.
Featured entertainer is Josie Hargis, a rising country and gospel artist. She will perform from 5 p.m. to dusk.
There will be an open mic until 2 p.m.
The KDAS dancers will perform at 1 p.m.
Big Papa Binns, a one-man blues powerhouse playing guitar, drums, and cymbals all at once, will take the stage from 2-4 p.m.
The 870 Freestyle Dancers, led by founder and instructor Reese Broadnax, will also take the stage.
The festival’s cornhole tournament starts with a practice round at 11 a.m. followed by the tournament at noon. First place is $250, second place is $150, and third place is $50.
Participating vendors include:
Dazzling Doodles
iSpy Boutique LLC
Kay’s Western Wear
Bling and Sparkle
Jazzy Jewels by Jackie
BodiedByEb, LLC
Valley Home Candles & Matched Pair
The Tool Store
No Limit Fun
Southern Charm Permanent Jewelry
Pearl & Co
Angela Hill
Bo Jameson
Lay’s Lead Land
Vacay Vibes
Sonya’s Soaps
Stan’s World Famous
Randy Wooton
Jim Upton
TNT Entertainment
Community & Family Fun
Balloons, Bounce & Beyond
LifeShare Blood Mobile
McNeil Rural Fire Department-dunking booth
McNeil Head Start
Renewal by Andersen
Bounce houses and other attractions are also part of the festival.
There will be a fireworks show after dark.
Sponsors of the 2025 festival:
Super Spike, $1,000 plus
JEVAC
Everett Plating
Marjie Blair
Macs Fresh Market
Reynolds Forestry
Budget Propane
Platinum Spike, $750 plus
Camden Iron and Metals
Chicken Express
Price Tire
Columbia County Ambulance Service
Medark, LLC
Gold Spike, $500 plus
Diamond State Equipment
Lewis Funeral Home
PotlatchDeltic
A.L. Franks Engineering
Peoples Bank
Southern Aluminum
Cook Construction
A-1 Tree Topper
Silver Spike, $250 plus
S & S Home Center
Quota Club
Farmers Bank
Liberty Supply
David and Becky Talley
Beautiful You-Magnolia
OTM Record Service
Prince Pharmacy
Price Plumbing
Columbia County Conservation District
Waldo Price Saver
Farm Credit
State Sen. Steve Crowell
County Judge Doug Fields
Betsy Production Company
Bronze Spike, $100
McNeil Reunion Association
South Arkansas Heritage Museum
HeritageHouse Gifts/MerleNorman
Holiday Inn Express
Spittler Tire andAuto
Magnolia Blossom Florist
Bilo's Liquor
Scruggs Timberland
Linkous Towing
Steve's Pro Tint
Kenny Spence Insurance Agency
Magnolia Motor Company
Peoples Bank
Megasack
S&S Home Center
AutoZone Auto Parts
Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts
O'Reilly Auto Parts
Bodcaw Bank
Sandra & Carey Beevers
Jean Cook
Other
Piggly Wiggly
Brookshires
Tool Store
Smith, Waldo
