By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Home businesses showed off their best offerings, and youth groups and others sold baked goods to shoppers who were entertained by area bands Saturday during Peabody’s Fall Festival.

Vendors in booths that lined Walnut St. offered nearly everything visitors that perused them could want at a craft show including antiques, wood carvings, lemonade, hand woven bracelets, baked good, jewelry, art, Scentsy products, food, bath salts and sugar scrubs visitors made for themselves.

Peabody High School’s band and choir were the first to take the stage at Sana Fe Park. They were followed by Aaron Waddell, Benie Holtsclaw, Tallgrass Express String Band, Galen Obermeyer, Savanna Chestnut, Harrison Steele, and Kyle Austin.

The HUB offered a meal deal lunch during the concert as a fundraiser, and the junior class had a watermelon feed by donation.

Meanwhile, a Wiffle ball tournament east of City Park and washer tournament gave festivalgoers a chance to have fun and enjoy friendly competition of a beautiful day that saw a few rain showers but only had high temperatures in the 90s. The team Jager Bombers won the Wiffle ball tournament.

Peabody resident Tracy Kemper sold jewelry and art made from pieces of jewelry. On the table at her booth, a sparkly mermaid framed on a green background drew many bids from those interested in having it.

“This is a hobby,” Kemper said.

She always liked jewelry, but didn’t start making art with it until she was forced to retire early, Kemper said.

Elbing’s Crossway Bible Church youth drew hungry festivalgoers wanting to buy the baked goods they sold to raise money for a mission trip they plan for summer 2020.

On the sidewalk in front of Mane Street Boutique, customers could choose their own fragrances to make their own sugar scrub and scented bath salts.

Donations were taken for the community foundation’s ongoing project to replace and repair playground equipment in Hart Park and for Peabody Township Library.

A scarecrow contest hosted by R. Phillips, Inc. gave viewers a chance to drive around the town to see residents’ best scarecrow creations.

Randy Kralicek’s scarecrow took grand prize, Kurt Phillips’ scarecrow took first place, and Peabody Senior Center’s pair of scarecrows took third place.