Community Connections -- Delta Fair Parade

Posted Tuesday, August 28, 2007, at 7:30 AM

Even if I don't have kids going back to school it's easy to know when school starts -- not by the school supply lists or the buses or the after-school traffic, but by the number of calls the Chamber receives about the Delta Fair and Parade.

Our good friends Jack McDaniel and Bill Walsh celebrated their 50th year as Parade Marshals last year and decided that after training me for five years, they would let me take a run at it. The Fair kicks off as always, with the Delta Fair Parade, this year at 6 p.m. on September 25. Please mark this in big red letters on your calendar, and if you need to drive anywhere around the west end of town, including the by-passes, please do so before 5:30 p.m. or you are guaranteed to be delayed.

I am always amazed at the number of entries for the Parade. I'm doubly amazed as every person, even after waiting an hour or so, hot, thirsty, almost deaf from band students blowing horns and banging drums, still manages to start their part of the parade in good spirits. I must be getting old, because as soon as the horses move in behind the Kennett High School Band, I'm ready to head back to the air conditioning and put my feet up. Maybe it's time served -- I marched in every Parade from Junior High through Senior year wearing one of those nice cool band uniforms, while attempting to play my French horn. Thankfully French horns were not an integral part of most of our parade music.

We are trying a couple of things this year hopefully to improve the parade. We are limiting an entry length to two vehicle lengths (two cars, truck & trailer or float, vehicle & people walking, etc.) and we will allow non-float commercial entries at a rate of $25 per entry. A commercial entry is one that advertises a business which charges a fee for service. We will still allow vehicles pulling floats or trailers to display business signs on the vehicle at no charge. This is all basically to make things fair for everyone in the parade and to keep the length of the parade from becoming too long.

We also ask that all entries be called (or emailed or faxed) to the Chamber by Friday, September 21st so that we can get the line up done over the weekend. People can then call on Monday to know generally where their line up spot will be rather than waiting until Tuesday night and try to find it in the pre-parade confusion. Entries called in on Monday will be put at the back of the parade -- behind the KHS band, but before the horses!

The Kennett Police Department plans to put traffic cones along First Street to keep the crowd from moving into the street as sometimes happens when the two lanes of St. Francis turn into the four lanes of First Street. Folks in the parade will still have the two middle lanes, but the two outside lanes will hopefully remain people-free.

The Delta Fair Catalog should be out in a couple of weeks and it will contain all of these guidelines, as well as all of the Fair information.

Anyone have any suggestions how we can improve either the Parade or the Fair? And since the Parade and Fair always bring back good memories -- what is your favorite memory?

Comments
Showing comments in chronological order
[Show most recent comments first]

I don't think this would be considered a good memory, but it was almost a guarantee that you would see a redneck fight at some point while being at the fair.

I do think it's good that Kennett trys to do something nice for the community by having a fair each year though.

-- Posted by grizz1 on Tue, Sep 4, 2007, at 11:16 AM

Thanks, grizzi - we do always seem to have a disagreement or two, especially on Demolition Derby nights, but overall the fair is a good opportunity to showcase businesses, civic organizations and youth groups throughout the area. This will be my granddaughter's first fair, so we are all looking forward to that!

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Tue, Sep 4, 2007, at 12:33 PM

I have great memories of late nights of stuffing floats for the Le Femme club with my mom. Everyone worked so hard to make sure the floats were perfect! The float for the Old Woman and the shoe, the large white cake for the Delta Fair anniversary, complete with glasses on top. It was so much fun getting ready for the parade! These are memories every child should get to have in life! I wish my children could be so lucky. The Delta Fair parade was one of the best.

-- Posted by MLee592 on Tue, Sep 4, 2007, at 12:44 PM

MLee, we still have some great floats in the Parade and it is always fun to see how creative everyone can be. Thanks for your sharing!

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Wed, Sep 5, 2007, at 10:14 AM

I have always looked forward to the Delta Fair and the parade ever since I can remember I moved out of Kennett a few years ago but I'm still close enough to make it to the parade and the fair at least 2 nights a week and the weekend I still look forward to coming over and seeing the exibts and EATING ALL the GOOD FOOD!!!!!!!!! watching my children have as much fun as I did on those rides I still enjoy most of them. as soon as the first of September gets here or a nice cool day reminds me of the fair and I can't wait!!!!!!!! hoping for GOOD weather not to HOT and no RAIN!! here's to the best of delta fairs in good ol' kennett,mo.

-- Posted by 20&24#1racefans on Mon, Sep 10, 2007, at 10:20 AM

Jan, I'm a little late on reading this blog. School has started and I am almost too busy to READ. (that doesn't make sense) Favorite Delta Fair memory??? Well, with 40+ years of memories that is a difficult task. Riding in the parade with my kids was the FIRST thing to come to mind. My son was Little Mr. Delta Fair one year and his sister was Little Miss a different year. Hopefully, he doesn't read your blog. Probably the BEST MEMORIES, though, involve the Sumach Extension Club Homemade Corndog stand. Those are just about the hardest hours I've ever worked and just about the most fun I've ever had. I remember when the women and men of Sumach made the first stand, I remember a Saturday when my mother and Lillian Smith and I operated it. I was barely old enough to see over the counter and make change as they cooked the corndogs. I vividly remember the congregation of people in and around it. It seemed that everyone who came home for the fair came there to meet and greet. The feeling was a combination of a homecoming, a family reunion, and a good old fashioned revival. Other random thoughts about the Delta Fair: 1973, driving in to Kennett from Mizzou and seeing those lights, well, guess you had to be there, (maybe you WERE there the next year), first trip home from college. 1986, taking my first born on her first outing and first trip "home." This year, both my girls will be coming back home from college for the fair. I got a text message today from one of them that said "It's Delta Fair weather here!!" The feeling of the fair is unmistakable and probably unimaginable for outsiders, but we all know what it is.

-- Posted by Vickie on Sat, Sep 15, 2007, at 1:39 AM

Thanks, Vickie - and I figure I know which Vickie you are if you know so much about the Sumach Extension Club!

Just about everyone I've seen in the last few days has said the same thing about it being Fair weather. I do make the rounds of the food booths (and it shows!)- have to have corn dogs, dippin dots, catfish, BBQ, turkey leg, Tyrone burgers, funnel cakes, taffy and cotton candy - see you out there!

-- Posted by Jan McElwrath on Mon, Sep 17, 2007, at 10:36 AM

Well, I haven't been to a Delta Fair parade in over 10 years but i miss it terribly. I was one of those guys who was on one of the horses at the end of the parade. My favorite memory of the fair though is of the Joey Chitwood Thrillcade on Saturday night back in the 60's. I just GOOGLED it and was brought back by the memories of it. Nowadays the special feature is the Demolition Derby but I will never forget the thrillcade. You could always count on the week being great fair weather and always cold on Saturday night. When was the last time you had a cold Sturday night at the Fair. You guy's enjoy the parade and fair. I'll be thinking about it and wishing I was there. We have the Texas state fair here in Texas the same week but it just isn't the same.

-- Posted by ktgivie on Wed, Sep 19, 2007, at 6:59 PM

i was wondering if it's raining tues if you were going to reschedule the parade for another day? i am plaining on coming over to kennett to see the parade and was just wondering thank you

-- Posted by 20&24#1racefans on Mon, Sep 24, 2007, at 10:18 AM

Hi Jan, How are you? Sorry I've been MIA..lol I reformated my comp and lost my password. But Im Back! And there's no get 'in rid of me now..hehe

Okay, Okay! My fair memory! It's the same every year. Let me break it down for everyone, I got 3 words for ya,

SALT WATER TAFFY!!!!!!!!!!! YUMMY

HAHAHAHAHA

-- Posted by BadBones on Tue, Sep 25, 2007, at 2:53 AM

Jan,

Will they be giving free elevator rides after the parade?

-- Posted by mofo on Tue, Nov 6, 2007, at 6:00 PM