Labor Day In Tiny Town

Small town celebrations are hard to beat.  The Mr. comes from a town with a Labor Day Celebration where the two mile run means running a mile out of town, circling a trash can (I kid you not!), and running back to the start.  We "get" small town celebrations.

The morning in Tiny Town begins with vendors lining the main street.  They have food, a few crafts, and a lot of booths selling jewelry, purses, or home canned vegetables.  We actually shop a bit, but mainly talk with alums who are home for the weekend and community people we don't see often enough.  

Somebody slept right through the commotion.  The Lady Bug was obviously not that impressed with the Catholic ladies' pies and cinnamon rolls.

The real activity takes place on the courts.  The tennis courts have inflatables for the kids to jump on.  They do a boom business.  However, activity in this area dwindles when the contests begin.

There were turtle races on the skateboard pad.  Such excitement!

And a frog jumping contest took place in the same location.  I'm not sure who enjoys these more, the kids- or the parents who help catch the frogs the night before.  (I hear the Golf Course pond does a boom business!) There were a couple of escapees before the race even started.  The crowd came to the rescue and retrieved the naughty frogs.  Since an 18 month old girl won the girl division, I'm pretty sure that Daddy CT will have the Bug entered next year. She's got to "represent."

The biggest contest is a pedal pull on the basketball courts.  The little ones ride tricycles dragging a sled with weights.  It's a pretty big deal and draws a huge crowd.  (To watch kids riding tricycles? I know!!)  They even have plaques for the winners. Never underestimate what entertains a small town!

There were so many cute kids this morning that my camera is full of adorable little ones.

Most people show up for the parade:  40 minutes of farm equipment, old cars, and church and school floats.  Since there is an election coming up, there were plenty of politicians on hand; and of course, the local dignitaries.  Everyone throws candy and the little ones sit on curbs with their sacks to gather the loot. 

Lady Bug thought they needed a few Beauty Queens in the parade, so she is practicing her wave for next year.  I'd say she has it down.

I wonder if this will be her hometown; if she'll be part of the frog jumping contests, pedal pulls, church floats, and athletic floats like her mother and Aunt L.  It's hard to say.  But the Little Bug celebrated her first Tiny Town Labor Day Celebration when she was just 20 days old.  She won't remember it, but we'll remember it for her.

And that's how traditions live on from one generation to the next.