Kennett
Around Kennett
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Town and around · Missouri · 27k people
Kennett
Locals say Missouri Bootheel · “The Bootheel”, “Cotton Capital”
Flat, fertile, and friendly
Field GreenHarvest GoldSoil Brown
Welcome to the Missouri Bootheel, where the flat fields stretch wide and the catfish are always biting. Come for the small-town charm and stay for the friendly folks and down-home cooking.
Clubs for Kennett
No clubs for Kennett yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Kennett. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Kennett. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Dunklin County Courthouse Historic courthouse in Kennett, a central landmark.
- Kennett City Park Community park with playgrounds, pavilions, and walking trails.
- Bootheel Youth Museum Interactive children's museum in Malden.
- Malden City Park Park with a lake and picnic areas in Malden.
- Dexter City Park Includes a lake and sports fields in Dexter.
- St. Francis River Popular for fishing, boating, and riverside recreation.
- Outdoors Hunting deer and turkey
- Outdoors Fishing for catfish and bass
- With kids Visit the Bootheel Youth Museum
- With kids Swim at the city pool
- Evenings Local taverns
- Evenings Dance halls at festivals
- Locals love Hunting and fishing camps
- Locals love Diner-style restaurants
Through the year
- Bootheel Rodeo August PRCA rodeo held in Kennett every August.
- Missouri Rice Festival October Celebrates the region's rice crop in Malden each October.
- Dunklin County Fair July County fair with livestock, rides, and local exhibits in Kennett.
The Missouri Bootheel has a humid subtropical climate with hot, muggy summers and mild winters. The best times to be out are spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall offer mild temperatures and lower humidity, perfect for outdoor activities.
Talk like a local
- “Bootheel”
- The region itself, referring to Missouri's 'bootheel' shape.
Getaways
- Blytheville Visit the Delta Gateway Museum or catch a show at the Ritz.
- Paragould Explore Crowley's Ridge and the local antique shops.
- Dyersburg Shop at the outlet malls and enjoy the town square.
- Poplar Bluff Lake Wappapello offers boating and fishing.
Local flavour
Rooting for St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, Arkansas Razorbacks, Memphis Grizzlies
Eat and drink
- Fried Catfish A staple from nearby rivers and catfish farms.
- Missouri-Style BBQ Pork-centric, slow-smoked, often with a vinegar-based sauce.
- Sweet Tea The quintessential Southern drink, served over ice.
- Rice Dishes Local rice is used in casseroles and sides, reflecting the region's rice paddies.
Where people go
- Cotton Fields Endless rows of cotton that define the agricultural landscape.
- Rice Paddies Flooded fields that produce rice, a major local crop.
- Small-Town Squares Historic downtowns with courthouses and local shops.
- Diner-Style Restaurants Casual eateries serving Southern comfort food and daily specials.
- Hunting and Fishing Camps Duck hunting in the swamps and fishing in the rivers and ponds.
Heritage and traditions
The Missouri Bootheel is proud of its deep Southern roots, cotton and rice heritage, and the resilient small-town culture that thrives along the Mississippi River floodplain.
This time of year in Kennett
- Cotton harvest October October – the main agricultural season
- Kennett Cotton Festival October Celebrates the cotton harvest with a parade, cotton picking contests, and local crafts.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — about to
Festivals
- Kennett Cotton Festival October Celebrates the cotton harvest with a parade, cotton picking contests, and local crafts.
Landmarks with a story
- Dunklin County Museum Preserves the history of the Bootheel, including cotton and rice farming.
Food traditions
- Community fish fries A staple of Bootheel social life, often featuring catfish, hushpuppies, and coleslaw.
- Rice pudding A sweet dessert using the region's rice crop, often served at church suppers.
Music and arts
- Gospel music Strong tradition in churches and community events
- Blues Influenced by the Mississippi Delta, with local musicians playing in juke joints
- Quilting Folk art using cotton fabric
A little history
- 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes
- 1860s Civil War skirmishes
- 1880s Cotton boom
- 1900s Rice cultivation
- 1927 Great Mississippi Flood
Rivalries
- Kennett vs. Malden high school football Friendly cross-county rivalry on Friday nights.
- Missouri Tigers vs. Arkansas Razorbacks College football loyalties split in the Bootheel.
- Game day Friday night lights
- Game day Hunting season traditions
- Outdoors Four-wheeling on country roads
- Outdoors Inner-tubing on the St. Francis River
- With kids Watch the cotton harvest
- With kids Pick blackberries in the summer
The Bootheel speaks a Southern-influenced dialect with a drawl, using phrases like 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'.
Only here
- The only place in Missouri where cotton is grown commercially.
- The New Madrid Seismic Zone, one of the most active earthquake zones in the US.
- The Bootheel's unique shape, jutting into Arkansas and Tennessee.
- The annual Bootheel Rodeo, a major event.
New here? A few tips
- Prepare for hot, humid summers and occasional tornadoes.
- Try the fried catfish and sweet tea.
- Learn to say 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'.
- Explore the small-town squares and local diners.
- Take part in the community fish fries and church events.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaBlythevilleArkansasWhere the Delta meets the riverParagouldArkansasWhere peaches and Southern hospitality growReelfoot LakeTennesseeWhere the cypress meet the water and the fishing is always good.BootheelMissouriDeep soil, wide skies, and the river's pull.DyersburgTennesseeWhere the Delta meets the river.Poplar BluffMissouriWhere the Ozarks meet the riverJonesboroArkansasWhere the Delta meets the RidgeSikestonMissouriWhere the river meets the fields and the rolls fly.
Kennett, MO. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.