Derrick Days

This is not meant to make fun.   It may seem that I am, but ... not.
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Most smaller type towns seem to have their special celebrations.  They all create a signature event or claim-to-fame, proclaiming it to the outside world.   My old hometown, Levelland, has their Old Settler's Day.  Buda has their wiener dog races. Ennis, just north of us 20 miles, has a Czech festival.  And, yes, of course, Lubbock has their Buddy Holly festival.
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Some festivals are just worthless --  others, not so much.
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Corsicana has Derrick Days.  For the uninformed, Corsicana had the first producing oil well west of the Mississippi.  The oil field is somewhat pumped out now, but they still are doing some drilling.   Mobil and others seem to have gotten started in this area. Magnolia was a big time company that was bought out several years ago.  Their trade mark was the big red flying horse that Mobil uses now.  Yes, Corsicana, and the surrounding area, grew up as an oil field.
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So, we have our Derrick Days.  Basically  ( a word that is often overused ), the event has booths running down the main drag,  a chili cook-off,  a classic car event,  a tour via bus of the local oil fields with history, stages with music, Gospel stage, a fancy indoor dance, rodeo on Friday night - they use to have basketball tournament 3 on 3 - made up mainly of 3 big guys trouncing 3 other big guys.  It seems like they use to have, maybe still do, free hot dogs downtown on Friday in pocket park.
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Pocket Park is a park on main street where a building use to be.  Rip out the bricks and plant some green - add a bench or two - and it is pocket park.  Good use of wasted space I suppose.  Who is going to try and build a new building in that space? Not me.
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And they have a motorcycle rally.   People come from all over to show off their bikes and be manly (except the female rides, who do it for other reasons I suppose).  The bikers gather and do games.   There is a competition - burn out?? - where they rev the engine and burn rubber for effect.  I am sure these folks have a great time and look forward to returning each year.
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Yesterday's paper - it took me a long time to get here - announced some changes in Derrick Days.  I'm sure you will be pleased that I posted them here.  First of all, Biker Bash is having a new starting point - closer to the police station I am uh thinking - new starting point, new route, and a new finish line.  So there.  The tattoo contests has been cancelled.  They have so many folks riding, new spacious digs were needed. The end will be at the O.T. Sports Bar on the golf course on north Biz 45 - at Hardy Ave.   Hardy = Harley ?? wonder if any will be confused.
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The next is my favorite part:  With the moving of Biker Bash, that area hopes to add a Hispanic music state bringing in a big name such as Jamie Richards.  There you go. Jamie Richards.   Sounds Hispanic to me.  And, they hope to host an act that involves a dancing horse - it may be a combination of the "three."  Re-read this paragraph - I only see 2 things...I am dense at times.  I love horse acts.
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Almost through.   Added Business Olympics with bed races & high heel races.  Fun. There are some negatives:  no golf carts this year with a penalty of a traffic ticket. No parking on 3rd street overnight Friday - newspaper said so - no skateboarders.  But the most important change this year:  no snakes.  Last year some folks showed up carrying boa constrictors and other pet serpents around their shoulders.  This year, the festival will be snake free.   
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Fran Townes, committee chairperson said, "Snakes scare people."
See ya,
m
p.s. I think they should invite Justin Bieber.  He seems to be having problems in Florida and may need a place to hide out.