LINN — Beautiful weather greeted visitors to Taste of Osage County Saturday, Sept. 12, but attendance at the annual festival was light, and volunteers arrived to find Linn City Park had not been prepared for the event.

The event was planned and coordinated by Jennifer Millard of Central Missouri Community Action and University of Missouri Extension Engagement Specialist in Community Economic Development Elizabeth Anderson. The four-hour festival brought local businesses, food and drink vendors, artisans, schools, community organizations, and government agencies together in the park. Thirty-eight vendors had been listed before the festival.

Grass stood approximately 12 inches high in places, while limbs, logs, brush, and smaller debris from extensive tree trimming remained throughout the festival grounds. Volunteers moved the trimmings into large piles before the event began, but substantial amounts remained beside vendor booths and pedestrian areas. Several attendees were overheard commenting about the danger posed by the debris and the difficulty of walking over scattered twigs. Two of the park’s four bathrooms were also out of order.

Sarah and Mark returned to provide live music. Vendors included local food and beverage businesses, crafters, retailers, school groups, churches, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies.

Participating organizations included Osage County R-1, Linn FFA, the Linn Class of 2027, the Osage County Agritourism Council, CMCA Head Start HomeBase, the Missouri River Regional Library-Osage Branch, Linn Community Betterment Association, Compass Health Network, the Osage County Health Department, the Missouri Department of Conservation, CASA of Mideast Missouri, and others.

“We truly appreciate the continued support from our amazing vendors and community! We love seeing familiar faces return each year and welcoming new vendors to the event,” Millard said. “We are also incredibly thankful for our wonderful sponsors who help make it all possible. We couldn’t do it without you!”

Sponsors included Jim Butler, Legends Bank, Three Rivers Electric Cooperative, Muenks Insurance, Central Missouri Community Action, University of Missouri Extension, and Visit Osage County. Legends Bank served as the signage sponsor, and Three Rivers Electric Cooperative sponsored water for the event.