A Mayberry Independence Day (from afar)

As I told you guys, I was bummed to be away from the small midwestern town I call home for the 4th of July (one of my favorite holidays). I asked some friends and family members to keep me in the loop, and they did not disappoint. Let’s check out a good old-fashioned Mayberry Independence Day, shall we? (note: Mayberry’s celebration always takes place the Saturday before the 4th, so these events took place Saturday and Sunday..)

Let’s start with some photographic evidence of MamaG’s face painting skills- Aunt Polly (Smoke’s sister) got in on the action as well. *Please take note of their “I Love Mayberry” shirts. These were made as a fundraiser a few years ago to raise money for the Mayberry Quasquicentennial. 

What’s a small town Independence Day without a little bags tourney?

After the carnival, everybody goes home for a while to rest up and get ready for the evening’s festivities. You know, the maid-rite supper, the kiddie parade, the drawing, and the fireworks (followed by afties at Henning House). Smoke got pretty fancy for the night.

 

Oh, you might be wondering what the “maid-rite supper” is. Allow me to enlighten you.

Feast your eyes on the pies, guys. (Sorry, I couldn’t stop rhyming) Yeah, those pies are donated by all the ladies from the legion, and let me tell ya- ain’t no Pillsbury crusts on that table.

This next photo is quite possibly the best picture I’ve ever posted here on BG. That’s Marlys on the right. She works the cash drawer at the maidrite supper, and it’s possibly my favorite part of the Mayberry 4th of July. Marlys and her husband Nate (stay tuned) are good family friends, and I definitely asked MamaG before I posted her photo here. Marlys comes to Smoke and MamaG’s house every year for a Christmas tea, and she can add up a plate of maid-rite, potato salad, pie, and a can of pop, etc. faster than anyone I’ve ever met. And, no, she doesn’t give discounts.

While you sit in the shelterhouse, enjoying your maid-rite and pie(s), you’ve got the added bonus of being serenaded by Dan. Dan is a local of a town near Mayberry, and he sets up every year with his accordion, and his flat bed trailer and plays dinner music. He has a sign that says “Dan’s One Man Band” but no one was able to capture that for me. You’ll see the sticker on his Festiva, though. Dan drives a Festiva because of course he does.

Following supper and musical entertainment, there’s a kiddie parade. The kids put on costumes, and literally walk maybe 20 yards through the park and back, and they used to give out prizes, but now I think each kid gets a dollar (because you know, ‘everyone gets a ribbon’- UGH). I would like to point out that Tin Cup and I dressed as Batman and Catwoman one year, and I’m pretty sure we won. Following the parade, there’s also a drawing. Tickets are sold leading up to the event, and also at a card table set up that evening, and prizes for the drawing range from a case of motor oil (won that once), to an “autographed” Scottie Pippen basketball (also won that), to an “indestructible” knife set (also mine), to Henning House gift cards (which my niece, Margaret, won when she was five. A bar gift card. Classic.), to gift cards to the local ice cream parlor a few miles down the highway (Smoke and 9-months-pregnant Keith won those, and both were quite jazzed about their loot. I’m like, whatever, guys, it’s no case of oil, but go on with you bad selves…). Kids get a fudgesicle after the drawing, and shortly after, the fireworks begin! I don’t have as much photographic evidence of these portions of the evening, but remember Marlys? (you better) Here’s her husband, Nate, selling raffle tickets. He, too, gives no discounts. (Nate’s in the middle. The guy on the right is married to the woman in the photo with Marlys [John and Shirley Clemons], and I’m honestly not sure who the fella on the left is- MamaG can let us know when the post goes live).

 

After the fireworks, you have 2 choices… a) go home, or b) go to the Henning House for cocktails. Well, as you may guess, most of my friends and family end up at the Henning House, and I was unbelievably bummed not to be there.

My good friends Agatha and Henrietta rounded out the pre-4th weekend with some moped rides. Reminiscing on the old days! #MopedGangForLyfe

What a wonderful weekend had by all in and around Mayberry.

-Bev

Because Marlys deserves a second look, OK, guys?