BELL BUCKLE, Tenn. — If you’re looking for something to do this Saturday, Bell Buckle has you covered. The 31st Annual RC Cola and MoonPie Festival rolls into downtown on June 20, running from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. — and this year’s celebration carries a little extra weight. The theme is “We the People,” honoring 250 years of American independence.
For the uninitiated: the festival celebrates one of the South’s most enduring culinary traditions — the pairing of an RC Cola and a MoonPie, which for generations served as a working man’s lunch across the region. It’s the kind of food tradition that doesn’t need a backstory once you’ve had one, but it helps to know that Moore County has a connection to both.
The MoonPie General Store on the Lynchburg Square — one of just three brick-and-mortar MoonPie storefronts in Tennessee — stocks the full lineup of flavors and sizes, including seasonal varieties, if you want to load up before heading over or pick some up on the way back. The treat itself has been made by Chattanooga Bakery, Inc. since 1917, and in 2017 the company returned to its original recipe, swapping high-fructose corn syrup for real cane sugar and removing artificial preservatives.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The day kicks off early with the annual Bell Buckle Chamber 10 Mile and 5K Run at 7 a.m. on certified, scenic courses — described by organizers as “challenging.” Pre-registered runners receive a race shirt and a complimentary post-race breakfast that reportedly includes biscuits, fruit, and — naturally — RC Colas and MoonPies.
By mid-morning, the Craft Fair and Food Court open for the day. The Midstate Cloggers take the stage at 9 a.m. and again at 10:30 a.m., followed by the RC Cola and MoonPie Parade at 11:15 a.m. — a perennial crowd favorite. Noon brings the King and Queen Coronation, and the afternoon fills out with a slate of contests: Farthest Travelled, Youngest Attendee, Oldest Attendee, and the always-entertaining Shake It Up Baby Contest at 12:45 p.m.
RC Cola and MoonPie Games run from 1:30 to 3 p.m., and the grand finale arrives at 3 p.m. sharp: the cutting of the World’s Largest MoonPie, free to all attendees.
Bell Buckle is about 30 minutes north of Lynchburg on Highway 82 through Wartrace. The festival is centered in downtown Bell Buckle. Parking maps are available at bellbucklechamber.com. Crowds are typically large — organizers say visitors come from around the world each year — so arriving early is advisable.
For more information, visit bellbucklechamber.com or follow the Bell Buckle Chamber of Commerce on Facebook. •
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