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What is this?
Are you ready for rattlesnakes?
Published Wednesday, October 14, 2009
You could be a resident of the small Florida town of San Antonio.
It has no Alamo, no river taxis and only 830 people. But it has the rattlesnake.
And right now, most of the 830 residents are getting ready to rattle. San Antonio is home to the Rattlesnake Festival, which will kick off Saturday and end Sunday.
Beauties will parade in the Miss Rattler Pageant, and a cowboy king will be crowed at the Western Wear Contest.
Gophers will race. Experts will lead a snake and reptile show. Pancakes, chili and barbecue chicken will fill bellies. And corn will be tossed.
The 43rd annual Rattlesnake Festival will be a community affair of the grandest order.
Thank goodness we don’t live in San Antonio. And thank goodness we have something better than snakes.
When it comes to small town festivals, Natchez ranks at the top of the list. The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race isn’t just colorful and elegant, it is fun.
The balloons are unique — more unique than snakes — and the entertainment is typically a step above the rest.
But in its 24th year, it becomes easy to take our great race for granted. By now, most Natchez residents have seen a hot-air balloon up close if they ever wanted to do so. We all know imperfect weather conditions can call off the beautiful flights. And unfortunately, the best ballooning happens early in the morning — when some of us would prefer to be in bed.
But it’s mornings like the Sunday of last year’s balloon race that make all the conditions of the sport fade away.
Balloons by the dozen floated elegantly right across the Mississippi River, on either side and on top of the bridge. The sunlight was perfect. The weather was nice. The sight was breathtaking.
It was no gopher race.
The balloon race is special, and our community is lucky to have it. Countless volunteers and sponsors have made the race possible year after year, and we owe the wide-eyed wonderment of our children to them.
And to James Biglane, Cappy Stahlman and Ron Riches — the originators of the balloon race idea in Natchez — well, we are glad you thought of balloons, not snakes.
Small town festivals across America make our communities tick. Each carries a sense of pride for its townspeople, but some simply have to make you wonder.
While Natchez flies and San Antonio rattles this weekend, here are a few other events you could be attending across our country.
4 The Indiana State Hand Corn Husking Contest, Plowing Contest & Machinery Show in Huntington, Ind.
4 The Gautier Mullet Festival on the coast.
4 The Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk, N.C., complete with worm races and cash prizes.
And next weekend, be sure to check out the Tarantula Festival in Coarsegold, Calif.
To each his own, I suppose. I’ll happily stick with the hot-air balloons.
The first flight is scheduled for 7 a.m. Friday, weather permitting. Flights will continue Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning and afternoon, weather permitting.
The gates for the glow open at 6 p.m. Friday.
Let’s just hope no one from San Antonio, Fla., shows up with any creepy crawlers. Those, they can keep.
Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.
Comments
Posted by maple (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Julie.. Why not make your headline: BALLOON RACE WEEKEND FEATURES NATIONAL ARTIST most people will probably not even read this or relate this to the balloon festival.. LEON RUSSELL .. HILL COUNTRY REVUE .. BETTER THAN EZRA... EASY EDDIE AND THE PARTY ROCKERS... COUNTRY FRIED are all appearing this weekend and many more.. there will be a second stage for local artist this year.. there is so much more to write about than comparing it to other festivals around the country unrelated.. I hope they get better coverage than this in the next few days!
Posted by fraidoclowns (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No kidding. Sometimes I really have to wonder what y'all are thinking when you write these things.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought Julie did great. She came into the balloon race in a roundabout way that kept you reading. If you are as inquisitive as I, then you were wondering where she was going.
I am scared of snakes and have never seen a gopher. I'd much rather see the look of wonder in my grandkids eyes when a balloon lights up or flies right over my house.
Yes I have seen the balloons for all those years but the most important people in my life have not. They make my old weary eyes light up.
Posted by maple (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I dont think the column was that bad.. I did read it but I think the Democrat misses the boat when it comes to promoting our festivals.. the focus should be on The GMRBR and many articles should be written promoting the artists and balloonist so the fairgrounds will be full.. to many festivals in Natchez are realized after they are over.. the Democrat always shows up to take a photo during the festival but not enough is done before the event.. put a lot of pictures from the past festivals in the paper showing how much fun everyone had at past festivals.. like when Better Than Ezra and North Mississippi All Stars played two years ago the fairgrounds were packed.. maybe photos from that would help draw a large crowd again..most newspapers around the country devote a section to arts and entertainment so the public will attend.. the Democrat expects you to buy ads if you want to promote a non profit festival.. it should be a two way street.. help promote the HELL out of it and then when the festival has lots of revenue then they buy big ads.. its simple..
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rattlesnakes make good Deputies and City Police Officers in Crowd Control!
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 1:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought it was going to be another article about or local elected officials.
Posted by jsedwards (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Here are a few of the articles that have been published so far about this weekend's balloon race.
http://natchezdemocrat.com/news/2009/oct...
http://natchezdemocrat.com/news/2009/aug...
http://natchezdemocrat.com/news/2009/sep...
Be sure to look for the balloon race special section in Friday's paper as well as coverage in the next couple of days.
Thanks for reading!
Jennifer Edwards
The Natchez Democrat
Posted by maple (anonymous) on October 14, 2009 at 4:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe the article on August 12th promoting the bands should have been in the paper again this week.. that could be more helpful for attendance! that was so long ago..
Posted by cherron (anonymous) on October 15, 2009 at 12:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think i might check out that mullet fest. that'll be something to remember.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on October 15, 2009 at 8:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very good Journalism! Enjoyed it very much!
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