New Event Will Take You Back To ‘The Good Ole Days’

By Linda White

Publicity Chairman

WV Chamber

A new event has been added to the carnival schedule this year… an antique car parade!  The parade will be held as part of the annual car show that has been a much anticipated event for well over 25 years and the new parade is intended to complement the car show and is open to anyone. 

 Cars at least 20-25 years old are preferred, but none will be turned away.  You may participate in the show, the parade, or both on Saturday, August 4, in Shuffield Park during the 49th Annual Watermelon Carnival, sponsored by the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce.

To participate, bring your vehicle to Shuffield Park, located east of the former I.C.R.R. Depot in downtown Water Valley.  The car show hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Someone from the Shuffield family will greet you and register your car.  There is no fee for either the show or the parade. Cars will begin to line up for the parade about 9:45 and will follow a northerly route up Main Street to Central St., around City Park on North Court St, back down Main St, returning to Shuffield Park for the rest of the car show.  

For more information about the Car Show, sponsored by Fischer Properties Real Estate Co., contact Odie Shuffield or Linda Rae Shuffield.  For information about the car parade, contact Bennett Hill at 662-473-7250.  For information about the Watermelon Carnival, contact the Chamber of Commerce office at 662-473-1122.

You’ll be hearing some NEW Music at the Carnival this year, too!  For the Friday night Fireworks Show, Tyler Hill tells us he requested the company to provide a music mix from the 40s, 50s and 60s to go along with the Carnival Theme of the Good Old Days.  He suggested, “Folks may want to be close enough to the Street Dance Stage in order to enjoy the Music as they watch the Fireworks.”  The Fireworks Spectacular is sponsored by Mechanics Bank.

Chamber of Commerce Board Member Raymond Hawkins reports that TWO new bands will be performing this year –  the Whiskey Barrel Band from Tupelo will play at 6:30 on Friday night, until the Street Dance, when the Oxford All-Stars Band gets cranked up at 8 p.m.  The annual Street Dance is sponsored by Renasant Bank.

The other new group is the Down South Band from Coffeeville, and they will close out on Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m.  You’ll want to stay late on Saturday to see the Dog Contest at 3:30, listen to the new band from 4 to 5 p.m., and find out who the big winners of the barbecue cooking contest are at 5:15. 

There’s a fun-filled weekend planned for you, and cooler temps are expected.  Come on out and bring the family!  Shop, eat, enjoy the music, and more.  “See Old Friends and Meet New Friends!”