Going, Going, Gone

Another Gold Rush Days festival has come and gone and I'm happy to report that it went so well this year that when it was over I didn't need an escort to the county line.

Chris Smith and Steve Shaw held onto their title for fastest cross-cut sawing team, even though I kept my promise not to sell any Wizard Water^© to them before the contest (last year they won in under 30 seconds. This year it took them over a minute). Hannah Davis, age seven, was named Best of Show in the costume contest for a dress her mother had worn when she was Hannah's age. Gold Rush King and Queen Dr. Larry and Sallie Joe Sorohan were crowned by their grandchildren Alex and Griffin. Benny Armour (pictured below in the white cap), who has been transporting the parade's Grand Marshals in his horse-drawn wagon since 1966, was named Grand Marshal himself and got to pick his co-rider in the shotgun seat for a change. Members of the Golden Eagle Band of North Georgia State College and University (NGCSU) found someone to unlock the room where their instruments were stored in time to march in the parade. Holden Ross beat a formidable group of older contestants to win this year's hog-calling contest, and the grandmotherly Brenda Evans beat out a much younger set of competitors in the buck dancing contest (and no Wizard Water^© was involved there, either)! My wife enjoyed fresh chicken tamales made by the good ladies of St. Luke's, and purchased some blackberry jam and locally grown tomatoes and apples at the farmer's market in Hancock Park just off the downtown square. I enjoyed some ham biscuits, corn bread, beans and rice, and porkchops-on-a-stick.

Many thanks to Wayne and Sabrina Gooch for their hospitality, and to the Jaycees who run this festival and handle the myriad of challenges that come their way. They not only oversaw the vendors, contests and parade, but they have promised town officials that they will retrieve all hogs still found within city limits by noon tomorrow.