A Breakdown of the Events at the Annual Melbourne, Arkansas Pioneer Day!

Melbourne, Arkansas has a wonderful event called Pioneer Day the first weekend in May every year. Pioneer Day is an event for the whole family, with no entrance fee for most things, and plenty of sites to see. Usually Pioneer Day starts on the first Friday of May. That night, at around 8pm, a rodeo is held at the Izard County Fairgrounds. While the whole festival is free, the rodeo usually does costs about 5 dollars per person. Here you can see real live cowboys and cowgirls roping and riding their hearts out just for your entertainment. The kids love it and the concessions are inexpensive.

Next at 8:30pm, at the court house square in the middle of town, is the Street Dance. This is where the whole town gets up off their duff and dances to live bands for free. This is the best part of Pioneer Day if you ask me. Many a marriage has probably started with a dance at the Street Dance. This is a great time with plenty of concessions in case you get thirsty while dancing the night away. Plus it lasts until 11:30pm. Oh, and there are plenty of little ones for your children to play tag, dance, or just hang out with.

On the first Saturday in May at 7am the 5k run starts at Bancorp South. At 8am a Gun and Knife show starts at the Izard county Fairgrounds and stays open until 4pm. At 9am the entertainment starts at the courthouse square, and if your a senior you might want to sign up at the Diamond Age Registration. Doing so will give you a chance for a low cost home cooked meal under shelter during the heat of the day. At 9:30 the kiddie parade lines up at Miller's Supermarket and the Main Parade lines up on Haley Street. However, if you want to see the parade you better be on the square before 9am. Places to stand fill up quick, as children line the side walks with plastic grocery bags to haul home all the candy they will get from the parade. This is a huge event that many of the children look forward to every year. So, go early and enjoy the vendors, demonstration booths, and festive atmosphere.

At 10:15 the kiddie parade starts. The children usually circle around the courthouse in adorable costumes. Sometimes the children even throw candy to the other children. Afterwards prizes are handed out to the children that participated. Shortly after this, at 11am, the Main Parade starts right down Main Street Melbourne. First in the parade is usually the police and fire trucks which usually toss out candy for the children. Next would be the military color guard. After that various organizations such as the Red Hat ladies, Boy Scouts, 4-H kids, and Freemasons come down Main Street on their floats as they toss out candy and sometimes toys for scrambling children. Next comes the business floats, usually Ozarka College, the Miller Supermarket, The White River Medical Clinic, and many more. Then come floats from the winners of the Miss Pioneer Day Pageant, up and coming politicians, and antique cars. Many of these are wonderful floats have really nice cars attached. Finally, the parade ends with a whole wagon train. There are many riders on horses, wagons being pulled by horses and mules, and one year a boy riding a calf. This is the most wonderful part of Pioneer Day, watching all the horses parade down Main Street. People usually snap pictures of the cowboys and cowgirls riding their horses. Many riders dress up like their ancestors from the wild west. At this time most of the children just stand and stare in absolute amazement. It really is an amazing sight. The parade is usually the high point of Pioneer Day, but it isn't the end of it.

At noon, The Diamond Age luncheon starts on the court house square. Many seniors congregate under the shelters and chat the afternoon away at this time. At the same time The Karaoke Contest happens at the Bandstand. Then from 1pm until 3pm the kiddie games start at the courthouse square. For adults there are also games, as the Coopers Hawk Golf Tournament starts at 1:30pm at the Coopers Hawk Golf Course near the Izard County Fairgrounds. At 7pm there is another rodeo at the Izard County Fairgrounds and again the Street Dance is at the courthouse square from 8:30pm until 11:30pm.

On Sunday the Pioneer Gun and Knife show usually continues from 8am until 4pm at the Izard County Fairgrounds. However, most people are at church instead at this time. Pioneer Day is great time for a family get together. This is a low cost event with plenty of entertainment and chances for the kids to have tons of fun. My family and I go every year, so don't be shy and stop on by.