Everywhere Caledonia Alderman Bill Darnell went Monday, he kept hearing the same thing: How much fun everyone had at Saturday’s eighth annual Caledonia Day festival.
Though the economic impact has not yet been calculated, event organizers said this year’s two-day festival may have topped the charts in terms of attendance, with more than 1,500 people turning out to hear “Class of ’65” play Friday night at Ola J. Pickett Park, and an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 people crowding the streets of downtown Saturday.
Attendance was tracked via colored wrist bands, which were issued to attendees as they entered the gates. Though the event was free, and the wrist bands were not a requirement, they came with a perk — if you wanted to take home a door prize, you had to wear a wrist band.
This was the first year for the event to feature Friday night entertainment, and organizer Jackie Savage said the number of people who gathered at the park to hear political stump speeches and live music went “far beyond expectations.”
She couldn’t have asked for a better performance or a more supportive crowd, she added, and she was pleased to see people clapping and dancing along with the music.
Bill Darnell, who co-chaired the festival with his wife, Betty Darnell, was even more effusive.
“It’s the biggest blast we ever had,” he said. “Friday night was a tremendous success. Even the band said they didn’t think they had ever played in front of that many people. We’re going to have to get them back. I’ve been getting phone calls all day about how nice it was.”
New activities like the apple baking contest didn’t see a lot of participants — only 13 people signed up to show off their culinary talents — but it was among the things that Savage said “really worked” and will probably become a much-anticipated tradition.
Other activities, like the lawnmower race, need a little work, she said. Though people talk about the race a lot, participation was spotty, perhaps due to its offset location at Caledonia High School instead of on Main Street.
But all in all, there was little she could find to fault about this year’s event, thanks largely to the nearly two dozen volunteers who gave up their time on a regular basis since June in order to make sure everything went smoothly.
“It all just fell into the place at the right time,” Savage said. “We had such a good committee. … The weather was perfect. God definitely was smiling on us.”
Nearly 120 vendors signed up to offer everything from washtub lemonade to fried pickles to Mississippi State University-themed Christmas ornaments and scented candles.
That’s part of the broad-based appeal of an event like Caledonia Day, Bill Darnell said — local people making local products to tempt the tastes and wallets of attendees. Judging from the vendor response, he added, it was successful from both sides of the folding table.
Most importantly, Caledonia Day offers a chance for the town to put its best foot forward and spotlight local talent.
“It’s a chance where we showcase the things we do around here, like agriculture things — people who make jellies and bake and sell goods,” he said. “It showcases the community, and the more first class you do it, the better you’re thought of.”
Organizers will hold a final wrap-up session to discuss the financial impact — and next year’s plans — Oct. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Caledonia Town Hall.
Some possibilities on next year’s activity list include a motorcycle run and a classic car cruise.
“Everybody … is saying, ‘How are we going to beat this year?’ because it was so good,” Mike Savage said.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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