Labor Day officially "kicks off" one of my favorite times of the year......fall through Christmas....filled with festivals and holiday shows/open houses and special antique and junque shows !!!
SANTA CALI GON DAYS is the big event held around the historic square in Independence, MO., over the long Labor Day weekend. The festival was started in order to celebrate our special location as the starting point of the three trails: Santa Fe, California, Oregon. The event features lots of art and craft booths, food booths, musical entertainment and even a big carnival. Thousands and thousands of folks turn out for it each year!
I've attended the first day of the sale for over 35 years. I think I've only missed once or twice. Years ago the "vendors booths" were filled with amazing handmade creations. No "imported" or "market" merchandise was allowed. It was a juried show and was very hard to get a booth space. Well, times have changed. Sadly, the majority of the "craft" vendors now sell imported and market items. However, the really good crafters do very well at this show cuz fortunately lots of people still appreciate "handmade in the USA".
The weather conditions of the weekend have run the gamut. About three years ago it was a gorgeous weekend. I took this picture early in the morning of the first day, before the crowd arrived. You can see the court house on the left and the amazing clear blue sky.
The next two pictures show how crowded it was in just a few short hours!
The year I took this photo it POURED early in the morning of the first day.
But Bonnie (below) and I (next) picture were prepared!! :)
Last year it was brutally hot. One of our friends was working in the yellow booth as a fundraiser for their church. They sold Italian sausage sandwiches and lemonade!
I was there bright and early this year! I thought the PINK SATURDAY group would appreciate the PINK cotton candy flags in front of the court house!!
It started raining again this year.....but thankfully not until after I'd spent lots of time going through the craft tents and several of the local shops that surround the square.
Yes....my favorite time of the year has officially started!
The organizers of the festival brought back the 5K that used to be held during the time of Santa Cali Gon Days!! Several of us from our little running group have signed up to do that. I don't think they have had a big turn out for the run, but they still provided us with a nice shirt and the chance to enjoy running and walking 3.1 miles on some very hilly areas that surround the square during this great weekend!!
THE STONE RABBIT is going to try to convince some of his concrete pals to have their own little Labor Day race!, too! He's so good at organizing fun events for his friends!!
Hope you all have a great Labor Day weekend and a great PINK SATURDAY!
Hurry on over to Beverly's blog HOW SWEET THE SOUND! She'll have a long list of bloggers ready to share their PINKS or special fall items with you this weekend!!
DANA
That is one reason I like fall as well. We tend to have more activities going on to attend. This looks like a very nice one.
Posted by: LaVoice | August 29, 2014 at 05:31 PM
Hi Dana, What a great event to kick of the Fall to Christmas season. My favorite time of the year too. Loved all your photos, especially the one of you and Bonnie. Loved the cotton candy flags too. Rain is such a let down when it rains on your parade, so to speak. The crowds are huge, I would have to come when it would not be that crowded. However, I would be thrilled to be there.
I am ready to start decorating for Fall. My boxes are sitting here with all our fall stuff ready to start on Monday. I have red white and blue on my mantel until Labor Day is over. Well nearly over anyway. I will have "Fall" in full swing before the end of Labor Day.
Have a wonderful week.
Love,
Jeanne
Posted by: jeanne, backyard neighbor | August 29, 2014 at 08:05 PM
Nice event! We are kicking off the Mizzou football season this weekend and Bob is going to the Jazz festival on the riverfront. I can't take the bugs or heat. So I'll watch a movie or two, and read some blogs! Have a great weekend!
Posted by: Terri Steffes | August 30, 2014 at 04:51 PM
Hi Dana, I love events like this!I love USA made products too and I buy local products too! Today I purchased Colorado honey and corn grown just a few short miles from my home! I love this time of year because my hubby loves to cook with chilies and we will buy fresh roasted chilies and freeze them to use all year long. Those cotton candy flags are sweet. I remember selling cotton candy and snow cones at the school bazaar several years ago! My hubby had carpel tunnel wrist after that day but we made so much money for the school and it was the end of July and about 100 degrees outside! LOL!Even the sticky money smelled so sweet!
We are downsizing some things so we have our weekends cut out for us. Then the hubby has overtime coming up and it is good, a big remodel project at his office and he can have all the OT he wants! A blessing!
I need to get my fall wreath and other decorations ready! It is a wonderful time of the year and then Christmas comes which I love dearly.
Thank you for sharing and glad the Stone Rabbit is helping with a great cause too!
Hugs, Anne
Posted by: Anne | August 30, 2014 at 04:59 PM
Not nearly ready for fall around here. :)
I don't decorate too much for fall....but I surely do love decorating for Christmas. :)
Posted by: bj | August 31, 2014 at 07:40 AM