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Rated PG. Ends 9:05
Closed Wednesday Oct. 1-9
For Poultry Festival
Closed Wednesdays, Thursdays
Box office opens at 7:00pm. Showtime at 7:30pm.
Admission is $8 for adults and $7 for children.
Senior Citizen's Night
Mondays - $6 Admission
Around Town
October 2, 2025 - The 49th Annual East Texas Poultry Festival is officially open as of Thursday, October 2, 2025.
The ETPF Queen Payton McGee and her court were on stage and the official cutting of the feathers to signify the opening of the event was performed.
Emcee of the opening ceremonies was Josh Payne who welcomed the community to the event and introduced each of the speakers and performers for the morning’s proceedings.
The Center High School Roughrider band performed the National Anthem and the Timpson ISD Kindergarten class recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
First Methodist Church of Center Pastor Malcolm Monroe offered the opening prayer for the event and he was followed by opening remarks from David Chadwick, City of Center Mayor, and president of Farmer’s State Bank.
“On behalf of the City of Center we open our doors wide today to welcome you to our community, welcome you to having a good time, enjoy all that life has given us and our resources of poultry, timber, watermelon and good people,” said Chadwick.
Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge, spoke on behalf of the county and the commissioners. She stated she was honored to share the stage with the “Flock” of smart, talented, and beautiful ladies of the East Texas Poultry Festival court.
“I feel so blessed to live in a small county that is made up of wonderful, friendly communities, especially in these trying times,” said Judge Harbison. “Goodness knows that we have our challenges, but I feel that it will strengthen our love for our rural county and reinforce our belief that we live in the most wonderful place in the world.”
Brandy Filz, 2025 Chairman of the board of directors of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, offered words of welcome on behalf of the chamber, board and the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.
“We want to welcome you to the 49th Annual [East Texas] Poultry Festival, and we’re so glad you’re here,” said Filz.
She remarked on the festival being something the entire community looks forward to every year and something the chamber is always seeking to make a little bit better every year.
Joanne Shofner, Texas State Representative, presented a Resolution from the Texas House of Representatives recognizing the East Texas Poultry Festival.
“It is such an incredible honor to represent you all in Houston when you travel many, many counties and the most beautiful courthouse of course is Shelby County’s courthouse,” said Shofner. “There is no other courthouse, there’s no other square, it is a delight, and this festival I’ve come many years, this festival there’s no other festival that everyone in the community gets involved.”
Rep. Shofner then recited the resolution which was signed by the Dustin Burrows, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
The Queen and her court commenced to then introducing themselves and the official cutting of the feathers took place to open the festival.
October 1, 2025 - The 49th Annual East Texas Poultry Festival, presented by Farmers State Bank, begins with the Opening Ceremonies, sponsored by Focused Care of Center at 10am on Thursday, October 2nd and runs through Saturday, October 4th on the Center downtown square. Gold Sponsors for the Festival are Badders Law Firm, The City of Center, Pilgrims Pride, and Tyson Foods.
Come and join the Timpson ISD Elementary Kindergarten Class in the Pledge to the American Flag and the Center HS Band directed by Chris Smith as they play the National Anthem.
The 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Queen Payton McGee and her court will perform the cutting of the feathers and officially mark the start the three-day 49th East Texas Poultry Festival!
To view an updated schedule of activities, click here. Entry into the festival is $5 (cash only) for an entry button which is good for all three days of activities.
For additional information, please call 936.598.3682, email info@shelbycountychamber.com or visit www.shelbycountychamber.com.
Congratulations to the 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Queen’s Court
September 29, 2025 (Photo Album) - Payton McGee was crowned the 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Queen at the Coronation held Saturday, September 27th. The Royal Court also includes Princess Bailey Miller and Duchess Falon Mackey. Escort Sutton Link was voted Grand Duke.
Thank you to the East Texas Poultry Festival Queen’s court Platinum Sponsor HR Group, LLC for making the pageant a huge success. Gold sponsors for the event were Blake Furniture, Dazzle Me Pink and Blue and JML Management.
Thank you the wonderful Pageant Committee: Committee Chairman Caroline Corbell, Amy Allen, Brooke Lane Sharisse McAdams, Emily Teske and Haley White. Caroline Chadwick was Master of Ceremonies. Thank you to Center High School and Center ISD staff for all your help and allowing the use of the Cafetorium.
The 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Opening Ceremonies, sponsored by Focused Care of Center, will be held under the Big Tent at 10am, Thursday morning, October 2nd. Queen Payton and the court will cut the feathers to officially open the festival.
Thank you to the Poultry Festival Presenting Sponsor Farmers State Bank; and Festival Gold Sponsors, Badders Law Firm, City of Center, Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods.
See you at the Festival.
For additional information, call Shelby County Chamber of Commerce 936-598-3682 or email info@shelbycountychamber.com.
September 29, 2025 - If you have registered for the 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival 5K, we are excited to see you this Saturday, October 4th at the Chicken Trot!
Goody bags are available for pick-up at SSBTX (Shelby Savings Bank) main branch location at 111 Selma Street in Center.
Pickup dates and times:
- Monday, September 29, 11am until 3pm
- Tuesday, September 30, 11am until 3pm
- Wednesday, October 1, 11am until 3pm
Please pick up your goody bag during one of the scheduled times to ensure you are ready for race day. You will also receive a Poultry Festival entry button in your goody bag, good for all three days.
If you haven't registered, sign up online at https://runsignup.com/Race/TX/Center/ChickenTrot.
For questions, contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at 936-598-3682.
August 29, 2025 - The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce held a Welcome Party to introduce and welcome the 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Queen’s Court. Reigning Queen, Lillian Chisenhall, joined the 2025 Court.
The upcoming schedule, pageant rules and guidelines were reviewed. The Queen’s Court program has a month long schedule of events including a Social, Girls Giving Back and a Red Carpet party as part of the enrichment program for the princesses and their escorts prior to the scholarship Coronation.
The Coronation will be held Saturday, September 27th at 7pm at the Center High School Cafetorium when the Princesses will be presented to Shelby County, and the 2025 Poultry Festival Queen will be crowned. Reserved tickets and/or tables must be purchased in advance by contacting the Chamber at info@shelbycountychamber.com or calling 936.598.3682. General admission tickets may be purchased at the door.
Thank you to Caroline Corbell, Queen’s Court Committee Chairman and her committee: Amy Allen, Brooke Lane, Sharisse McAdams, Emily Teske and Haley White.
2025 Queen’s Court
From Left: Jaylee Gillespie, Shelbyville High School, Escort Ashton Scarborough; Claire Ham, Timpson High School, Escort Clayton Pate; Falon Mackey, Center High School, Escort Easton Wulf; Kaylee McCarty, Joaquin High School, Escort Anthony Buckley; 2024 Queen, Lillian Chisenhall, Center High School, Escort Jace Radney; Bailey Miller, Center High School, Escort Sutton Link; Maliah Norris, Timpson High School, Escort Ronnie Williams; Carolina Warr, Shelbyville High School, Escort Kaden Baldwin; and Payton McGee, Shelbyville High School, Escort Trent Jefferson
From Left: Jack Schillings, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jon Schillings; Tillie Willoughby, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Levi Willoughby; Beckett Mackey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Chaylon Mackey and Mr. and Mrs. Seth Hendricks; Ella Nichols, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Reid Nichols; McKenna Murphree, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grant Murphree; and Eli Scarber, son of Mr. Brett Scarber and Miss Erin Scarber
First Place - Mr. Smiley (Marlon Brewer)
September 25, 2025 - The 49th Annual East Texas Poultry Festival Doo Dah Parade, sponsored by Byrnco/Center Tire, Haslam Tire Company, was held yesterday Wednesday, September 24th, on the Historic Downtown Center Square. Junior Chamber of Commerce Students and Center Tire Company led the Parade.
Doo Dah Parade trophy winners include:
- First Place - Mr. Smiley (Marlon Brewer)
- Second Place - Golden Eye Clinic
- Third Place - Windham Family Dental
The Queen’s Court float winners will be announced at the Coronation, this Saturday, September 27th at Center High School Cafetorium at 7pm. Tickets at the door are $5.
Gold Sponsors for the Doo Dah Parade are Ihlo Sales and Imports and J. Ken Muckelroy/Professional Title Service. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Parade this year!
Farmers State Bank is this year’s East Texas Poultry Festival Presenting Sponsor. The traditional Cutting of the Feathers and Opening Ceremonies, sponsored by Focused Care of Center, will be held Thursday, October 2nd, at 10am on the downtown square. See you there!
September 25, 2025 - The Rotary Club of Center is hosting it's annual fundraiser with the grand prize being a Kohler 20KW Home Standby Generator! Ticket donations are $40 for one ticket or three tickets for $100. The winner will be drawn on January 20, 2026 during the club's Tuesday noon meeting at the John D. Windham Civic Center!
The Kohler Home Standby Generator is valued at $11,696 and includes standard installation within Shelby County or within 30 miles of Center. Installation is within 20 feet of service and does not include gas hook up; it will be the responsibility of the winner. Winner need not be present to win.
Center Rotary Club members have tickets as well as the following business locations: Blake Furniture, East Texas Poultry Supply, Farmers State Bank, Mathews Realty, and Shelby Savings Bank.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to charitable donations made by the Rotary Club to the community. For more information about the Center Rotary Club, visit centertxrotary.com.
September 19, 2025 - (Photo Album) - Residents of Pine Grove Nursing Center gathered outside the facility in observation of POW/MIA Day on Friday, September 19, 2025.
Mayor David Chadwick was the guest speaker and he addressed the residents on the many reasons Americans celebrate, and in contrast the observance of POW/MIA day where Americans remembers those subject to being prisoners of war and those who went missing for one reason or another during military conflict.
“We don’t have a day celebrating, a big to-do celebrating over prisoners of war, because it is such a solemn subject that we talk about,” said Mayor Chadwick.
Mayor Chadwick went on to reminisce with his audience over the POW/MIA Table and it’s meaning, and the meaning of all the accoutrements that are part of that presentation.
The residents were then delighted to see a motorcycle parade as part of the ceremony escorted by the Center Police Department. The motorcycle riders then parked their rides in front of the facility and went to greet the residents before everyone retired inside to enjoy a hamburger meal.
VFW Post 8904 assisted staff at the facility and joined in the meal afterward.
Pictured are (from left) Derrick Roberts, Linda Lundie, Richard Lundie, Sean Martin and Larry Hume.
September 19, 2025 - VFW Post 8904 and Auxiliary members gathered at the Shelby County Veterans Memorial September 19, 2025, in observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
"This third Friday off September as we salute the men and women who served to keep America free and in doing so sacrificed their own freedom and to remember the families of the missing we continue to hope and pray that their loved ones will some day be accounted for," said Hume.
Larry Hume, Post Adjutant, welcomed everyone to the program and offered an opening prayer. Hume continued by also remembering the families of those lost who hope and pray that one day their loved one will one day be accounted for.
Hume said there currently are over 83,000 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted for going back to World War II.
"Shelby County, Texas has had 39 of her citizens held as prisoners of war, 35 from World War II and four from the Korean War," said Hume. "Three of them died in captivity, while the others lived through a terrible ordeal that we cannot imagine. By the grace of God they returned home. They have all passed now from this life and we remember them today."
Hume stated that currently known to us there are also 31 Shelby County veterans still missing in action from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, and their names are carried on the Department of Defense Rolls as such.
"John W. Temple has been missing in action from World War I for over 107 years, and it's our sincere hope that one day they will be returned to their families and this community of Shelby County," said Hume.
A memorial wreath was placed on the Shelby County Veterans Memorial by Post Commander Derrick Roberts.
Taps was then played as presented by Post Chaplain Richard Lundie.
Prisoners of War:
Harlan F. Adams, World War II - German POW
Haskell Beard, World War II - German POW
Harold F. Beasley, World War II - Japanese POW
Sharkey Brown, Jr., World War II - Japanese POW
Thermon D. Brittain, Sr., World War II – Bataan Death March, Japanese POW
Frank M. Butler, World War II - German POW
Oran J. Childs, World War II - Bataan Death March, Japanese POW
Basil A. Coats, World War II - German POW
Sam Davis, Jr., World War II - German POW
Dr. Roy L. Emken, World War II - Bataan Death March, Japanese POW
Ray Emmons, World War II - German POW
Newell Evans, World War II - German POW
Clifford Gary, World War II - German POW
Hilton Hooper, World War II - German POW
Calvin R. Hutto, World War II - Japanese POW
Audrey C. Jacobs, World War II - German POW
Jesse F. Kennedy, World War II - German POW
Johnnie M. Lee, World War II, Japanese POW - Died in Prison Camp
Dravis Massie, World War II - Japanese POW
Austin W. Mayes, World War II - German POW
Phillip E. Murphree, World War II - German POW
James H. Myers, World War II - Japanese POW
R.B. Neal, World War II - German POW
Truman B. Owens, World War II - German POW
Sherman S. Pickard, World War II - German POW
George O. Rivers, World War II - Bataan Death March, Died in Japanese Prison Camp
Charles D. Rogers, World War II - Japanese POW
George B. Stutts, Jr., World War II - German POW
Vernon B. Walters, World War II - Bataan Death March, Died in Japanese Prison Camp
Henry L. Wilburn, World War II - German POW
Hulon Williams, World War II - German POW
R.L. Williams, World War II - German POW
Levi A. Williford, World War II - German POW;
Marshall (Tex) Windham, World War II - German POW
John E. Woodfin, Sr., World War II - Bataan Death March, Japanese POW
Hubert L. Langford, Korean War - North Korean POW
Paul D. Lucas, Korean War, North Korean POW
Leonard Scott, Korean War - North Korean POW
Billy Lee Wescoat, Korean War - Chinese POW
Missing in Action:
John W. Temple, WWI - Missing July 19, 1918, France
John C.B. Alford, World War II - Missing May 7, 1942, Pacific Theater
Lloyd L. Andrews, World War II - Missing December 25, 1944, European Theater
Cecil A. Armstreet, World War II - August 31, 1942, Atlantic Ocean
Lee O. Brunson, World War II - Missing December 8, 1944, European Theater
John B. Byrn, World War II - Missing August 24, 1943, European Theater
Philip H. Childs, World War II - Missing July 29, 1942, Pacific Theater
James A. Cleveland, World War II - Missing September 7, 1944, Pacific Theater
Lewis V. Dockens, World War II - Missing June 2, 1942, European Theater
Reed Dominy, World War II - Missing April 15, 1944, European Theater
Roy V. Duncan, World War II - Missing April 16, 1945, Pacific Theater
Hubert Haley, World War II - Missing May 14, 1942, European Theater
Pershing H. Harvey, World War II - Missing October 24, 1944
Walter B. Henry, World War II - Missing August 7, 1943, European Theater
Curtis Jolley, World War II - Missing October 24, 1944, Pacific Theater
Willie E. Lathon, World War II - Missing December 12, 1943, Pacific Theater;
James A. McDaniel, World War II - Missing April 20, 1944, Pacific Theater
Woodrow W. Moro, World War II - Missing May 5, 1942, Gulf of Mexico
Kenneth N. Nicholson, World War II - Missing October 27, 1942
Darwin Risinger, World War II - Missing September 5, 1945, Pacific Theater
John C. Scott, World War II - Missing June 19, 1944, Pacific Theater
Choron Smotherman, World War II - Missing November 27, 1943, European Theater
Johnny F. Stack, World War II - Missing November 30, 1942, Pacific Theater
Richard M. Wallace, World War II - Missing July 26, 1942, European Theater
Robert H. Wharton, World War II - Missing November 20, 1943, Pacific Theater
Marion B. Whiteside, Jr., World War II - Missing October 19, 1942
Claude M. Wilkerson, World War II - Missing May 8, 1942, Pacific Theater
Elgie P. Williams, World War II - Missing December 6, 1943, Pacific Theater
Elmer E. Williams, World War II - Missing November 8, 1942, Pacific Theater
Ray D. Williams, World War II - Missing July 11, 1944, European Theater
Willie E. Windham, Korean War - Missing August 12, 1950, Korea.
September 17, 2025 - The Fannie Brown Booth Library is seeking donations of books in good condition for the Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale. The book sale will be held from Tuesday, October 28, 2025, through Saturday, November 1, 2025, during regular business hours.
Used or new books of all kinds will be accepted. Please do not send textbooks, encyclopedias, and VHS tapes. Books can be brought to the library during regular business hours. If you have questions, please call the library at 598-5522.
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