Standpipe Festival Enjoys Big Crowds, Perfect Weather

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

The 36th annual Belton Standpipe Heritage & Arts Festival will be remembered for near-record crowds, perfect weather, music and art, but it might be best remembered for one of the largest and impressive car shows in the history of the event.

Classic and collectable cars began arriving in Belton at 8 a.m. and were still coming in at 11 a.m., as cars lined the highway in front of the square as far as the eye could see.

At the Belton Area Museum, Heritage Day artisans continued their three-day exhibition of traditional arts, crafts and historical presentations, while children played in the inflatable-filled playground nearby.

Organizers of the event, the largest fall festival in the county, were noticeably excited by the turnout and weather, which hovered in the mid-70s by noon.