Sanderson Chamber of Commerce
4th of July Celebration - 2009
Sanderson and Terrell County really know how to celebrate an old-fashioned
4th of July! The 2009 celebration was typical for this community, and the best in several years.
The weekend began several days early as friends and family arrived for the festivities. The 4th is usually celebrated on the
weekend closest to the calendar date, and this year the activities took place on Saturday, July 4th.
Early
festivities on Friday evening found an impromptu "jam session" and street dance between the Courthouse and the High School
featuring the Terrell County Boys.
Saturday the bash started with the annual Fourth
of July parade down Oak Street, ending at the Legion Hall, where the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary provided a barbecue
lunch.
The parade featured horseback riders, floats, antique cars, antique trucks, motorcycles, golf
carts and a “four wheeler,” junior bikers, walkers and the ever-present mule-drawn wagon.
The parade was led
by a color guard of Boys and Girls State delegates, sheriff’s vehicles, fire trucks, an ambulance and a wrecker.
Activities on the Courthouse Lawn included food from several booths, games for children, an Old Timers Hour, ice cream contest, silent
auction and class reunions. One popular activity involved local prominent citizens getting plastered...with creme pies!
After several years' absence, a roping was held at Downie Arena and winners walked away with prize money and belt buckles.
That evening a street dance was held with music by the Texas Alibis of El Paso.
Fortunately, the burn
ban was lifted in time for the traditional fire works display, which was held during a break in the dance.
This year's Fourth of July celebration was deemed one of the best in years, rivaling the Centennial Celebration in 2005. Make
plans to be with us next year for the 2010 4th of July Celebration, and see how much fun we have in the wilds of West Texas.
July 4th - 2010
Well, 4th of July 2010 was a wash...literally!!! Hurricane Alex drenched the
community with a year's worth of rain in six days and cancelled most of the festivities. A few things were salvaged, including
the popular Old Timers Hour, which had to move indoors. Later that evening the annual street dance in front of the Courthouse
also had to move indoors. The Del Rio band Southern Comfort played, while disc jockey J.R. Roman of Odessa entertained
between the sets. Everyone enjoyed both events, but Brother Alex insisted on raining on our parade (and everything else!)
We expect everything to be back to normal next year so please take a 'raincheck' and come join us. We'll save you a place!
To let you know what we usually have, the events of 2009 are below.