After a year’s absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Old Settlers Reunion returns to Jim Hogg City Park in Quitman Aug. 5, 6 and 7.

There have been a few changes to this year’s event including scaling back to three nights instead of the four nights of past years. Entertainment will feature something for all musical tastes each night starting at 7 p.m. 

There will be vendors selling items in the park. The Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis will have their popular Bingo nights. Their location will be near the new basketball courts the local club built for the community last year. Local civic groups are encouraged to be active during the three-day affair. 

Saturday night, Aug. 7, will be a special night for Quitman High School athletics. The annual “Meet the Bulldogs” will be held at the pavilion stage at 6 p.m. Saturday followed by 2021 graduate Bobby Irwin and his band in concert at 7 p.m. New Athletic Director Shane Webber and his boys and girls coaches will introduce athletes competing in fall sports. 

Old Settlers Reunion Association Board President Joe Wayne Reynolds is excited about the annual event being back this year.

“The Old Settlers Reunion in Quitman is glad to be back after having to cancel last year’s event amidst the global pandemic of COVID-19. It was a decision we had to make for the safety of the community and attendees. As the State Fair of Texas canceled and surrounding communities all canceled their annual events, we knew it was the right thing to do, but still a difficult decision to make after being one of the longest continually held events in the State of Texas,” Reynolds noted.

“We are looking forward to Sunshine Midways bringing in the carnival rides for families and kids of all ages and have decided to relocate the rides to the front parking lot of Jim Hogg Park to increase visibility of the event to drive-by traffic and visitors coming into Quitman.”

Reynolds hopes local organizations will get involved at the reunion. “As always, our local community organizations and vendors will be there to provide food and cold drinks, lemonade and the always popular Bingo event each night for those attending. Arts and Crafts vendors will be located in the park for those looking to buy a unique gift, too. There is a great line-up of live music starting at 7 p.m. under the pavilion each night and of course, each night of entertainment is free.”

Local songster Dale “The C” Cummings will hit the pavilion stage Thursday night with his nostalgic renditions of rock n’ roll and country tunes from the past. Cummings has been an Old Settlers Reunion tradition for several years.

On Friday night, the sensational Purple Hulls, a pair of identical twins from Kilgore, will take the stage for a night of acoustic music. Katy Lou and Penny Lea Clark were raised on a working family farm in the deep Piney Woods of East Texas. They will be playing bluegrass and gospel tunes along with other acoustic specials.

Bobby Irwin has been busy the past couple years making a name for himself on the Texas Music scene. In 2020, Irwin competed against 60 singers and songwriters from all across Texas and Oklahoma in the TXM Records Texana Troubadour Singer and Songwriter Contest. Irwin became one of the youngest musicians to win contest. 

For the first time in reunion history, the carnival rides will be in action on the front parking lot at Jim Hogg City Park.

Plenty of parking will be available in the field to the west of the RV Park and at Carroll Greene Civic Center.