Lincoln ready for centennial fest
Posted on Friday, June 22, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/News/54321/
Residents of Lincoln will celebrate 100 years of being down-home friendly on Saturday, hosting a centennial celebration in the Lincoln Square.
Becky Carter, treasurer for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, said the celebration has been in the works for a few months and its purpose is to showcase the friendliness of the home of the Apple Fest.
Were just celebrating the down-home friendly atmosphere of Lincoln, she said.
Festivities will kick off at 10: 30 a. m. on the square with a car show and continue on until 9: 30 p. m. with what Carter promised to be a quality fireworks show at the rodeo grounds.
A free popsicle social will follow the fireworks show.
Carter said the event will also have fun events for kids, including an entire world dedicated to them.
Well have a Kids World with face painting, an inflatable bouncer and even a dunk tank, she said.
At 4 p. m., live music will fill the square from local bands, and a parade will start at 5 p. m., according to Chamber Vice President Joanie Hannah.
The parade will start at the high school, go through the square and end back at the high school, Hannah said.
Hannah also says residents from other parts of the county and state are invited to join Lincoln residents in the fun.
Well show them downhome friendly, she said. It truly doesnt matter whether its a birth, a death or anything else in Lincoln, you dont have to go far to find friendly.
Aside from music and entertainment, everyone is invited to sample the food set up in various booths. Carter said dishes will range from beans and cornbread to burgers and hot dogs.
People interested in the history of Lincoln can check out several of the displays that will be up on the square. The Arkansas Country Doctors museum will have a display. There will also be pictures of how Lincoln has grown, and Carter said there might even be a 100-yearold women featured in the parade.
Longtime resident and self-proclaimed country attorney Boyce Davis said people can discover the history behind the little town that started 100 years ago.
It was started by people who clustered into a village, he said.
Davis said the town grew because of the Ozark and Cherokee railroads stopped there. He said that when the apple orchards started using the railroad to ship their fruit around the Midwest, Lincoln came to life.
The railroad really helped the apple industry to move beyond Washington County, he said. People would load the freight cars up and take the fruit to Dallas to sell.
Davis said the celebration will be an impressive event.
Itll be great just celebrating, seeing people, talking to them and showing off a bit of our history, he said.
Lincoln
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
10: 30 a. m. Car show; Kids World opens with Party Time Ponies, face painting; dunking booth; martial arts demonstrations; mechanical bull
11 a. m. to 12 p. m. First poker run leaves from the square !
1: 30 p. m. to 2: 30 p. m. Second poker run leaves from the square
2 p. m. Checkers tournament on the southeast side of the square
3 p. m. Winner of Peoples Choice car and Most Potential car announced
4 p. m. to 7 p. m. Open music, anyone can pick up a mic and sing
5: 30 p. m. to 6 p. m. Parade starts at the high school
6 p. m. Free cake and ice cream on the square
6: 15 p. m. Comments by Mayor Rob Hulse, County Judge Jerry Hunton, Former Lincoln Mayor Ruth Parker, and Former Lincoln Mayor Roy Jackson
7 p. m. to 9 p. m. Street dance
9: 30 p. m. Fireworks display at the Lincoln Rodeo Arena
9: 45 p. m. to 10: 30 p. m. Popsicle social