It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. It can also be said that it takes a whole town to host a community wide event for 30 years. The 30th annual Old Time Saturday will be back Saturday, Oct. 3 with a wide array of events including a lot of old favorites.

 

“In the beginning it was a tremendous amount of work and still is,” OTS coordinator Charlie Whitaker said. “None of it would be possible without our volunteers. I would personally like to thank anyone who has helped with OTS since the beginning.”

 

One  favorite event is the Audie Murphy Hero Run scheduled to start at 8 a.m. at the at the Chaparral Trail head.

 

The run will include both a 1- mile fun run and a 5K run.

 

“We’re excited to have this event again,” Whitaker said.

 

Those needing energy for their run can gather fuel at the annual Eastern Star Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast will be held from 7 until 10:30 a.m. in the Farmersville High School cafetorium. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. The meal will consist of homemade pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee and milk.

 

For entertainment, citizens can participate in a variety of events including a parade, car show, games, live music, tractor pull and shoot out.

 

Old Time Saturday parades into town at 10 a.m. on the downtown square. The parade includes horse riders, antique vehicles, dignitaries and the Little Mr. and Miss candidates.

 

To enter the parade, call Chad Whitaker at 972-782-7703.

 

Shiny antique cars and tractors will be featured for public viewing on the south city parking lot across from First Baptist Church from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Awards will be announced at 2 p.m.

 

A somewhat recent addition to the Old Time Saturday schedule is the “Money in the Haystack” game hosted by the Farmersville Rotary Club.

 

The game gives kids of all ages a chance to “find buried treasure.” More than $200 in quarters will be tossed among the straw. The event will be hosted in the games area behind the Onion Shed from 1 until 3 p.m.

 

Engines, tractors and sportsmanship will be on display during the lawn and garden tractor pull contest. Dirt will fly between noon and 4 p.m. at Rike Field located off College and Rike Streets.

 

For those who need a little rest and relaxation from the day’s festivities, the Higher Trail Cowboy Band who will be performing at the east end of the Onion Shed between 1 and 5 p.m. The band will perform country and western tunes and gospel songs.

 

Another entertaining event will be the pet contest slated from 1 to 2 p.m. at the east end of the Onion Shed.

 

“We’re inviting everyone to come and enter their cute pets,” Whitaker said.

 

Between 2 and 2:30 p.m. visitors and residents will be treated to a dance performance from Townsend III Dance Studio.

 

“We decided to add the performance this year to give the studio a chance to show off their dances,” Whitaker said.

The performance will occur at the east end of the Onion Shed. 

 

It will be a showdown at high noon, 2 and 4 p.m. as fists fly and guns are drawn at the western shoot out in City Park.

“We encourage everyone to show up and help the sheriff hunt for the bad guy,” Whitaker said.

 

A chance to monetarily contribute to the Centennial Committee (which provides money for the upkeep of the O.E. Carlisle Civic Center, the Charles Rike Memorial Library and the senior citizens center) will be offered in a variety of ways.

 

Raffle tickets cost $1 and can be purchased from any OTS contestant circulating during the day’s activities.

 

A raffle ticket will afford the purchaser a chance to win either a handmade quilt or a digital camera and photo printer.

 

The boy and girl who sell the most tickets will be crowned Little Mr. and Miss OTS at 3 p.m. at the east end of the Onion Shed.

 

Citizens can also support the Centennial Committee’s efforts by purchasing auction items at the annual OTS auction which will be held between 5 and 7 p.m. at the Onion Shed.

 

The Farmersville Historical Society will raise funds by selling homemade baked goods at the Bain Honaker Country Store. The store will be open in the Bain-Honaker House on College Street between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

 

Sidewalk sales, vendors and arts and crafts offerings will be available throughout the downtown area. 

 

Booths open at 9 a.m. 

 

Anyone wanting to purchase booth space for OTS can do so by calling Cynthia Craddock-Clark at 972-782-6533.

 

The deadline to purchase booth space is Wednesday, Sept. 30.

 

The Rotary Blood Drive will run from noon until 4 p.m. 

 

“We encourage everyone to look for the Carter Bloodcare van and donate,” Whitaker said.

 

The FHS Hall of Fame inductions will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Pavilion on the square.

 

Directly following those presentations, the Boy Scouts will hold a flag-raising ceremony.

 

One major change to this year’s schedule is there will not be a fried chicken dinner provided by the Farmersville Garden Club. This has been eliminated due to the amount of food that is for sale from vendors during OTS, organizers said.

 

Share This Story: