I got down to Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, again this Labor Day weekend for “Solemn Old Judge” Day. I think the name is meant to be facetious – pictured here is the “Solemn Old Judge” George D. Hay, who, by the way, started the Grand Ole Opry.
"Solemn Old Judge"-George D. Hay
Got down there, was told by the co-ordinator I could set up in the kids’ area (where they were going to have an aquarium and reptiles) so up the hill I went.
Set up, nobody there yet. I decided to travel down Main Street and and say hello to the vendors there, while we waited for the bank robbery and shootout that is staged annually on this very day.
As I traveled down toward the end of the festivities on Main Street, I was accosted by eager children who desired balloon animals. I was only too happy to oblige. I stayed busy for awhile, then ran out of children.
Reached the opposite end of Main Street, and set up operations on a shady corner next to a small train that was giving kids rides around the block. That proved to be a good location. The train turned on my corner to head up the street, the kiddies waved at me, and I waved balloons at them.
A lady asked me if she could take a picture of me making animals, for the paper (Hill ‘n Holler Review.) Well, ya can’t turn down free publicity. She waited until I had a couple of customers, then snapped away. Thank you to the Hill ‘n Holler Review for the photo below.
Makin' the kiddies happy
Where was the shootout?? They usually staged one in the late morning, and again in the afternoon. Here it was early afternoon, and still no bank robber. Solemn Old Judge Day just wasn’t the same.
I asked the co-ordinator what had happened, and she said there were two groups that participated, they got mad at each other, and disbanded. My thinking: Why couldn’t they disagree in front of the bank, shoot the bank robber, THEN disband? Everyone would’ve been happy that way! Ah well, maybe next year…
