The Festival
- Bret and Amber Tueller
- Jun 12
- 2 min read
The Parker Days Festival seems to be woven into the fabric of our community. It is the most-attended event our town has and rewrites our weekend plans, as well as the traffic patterns, every June. Whether you attend the festival or not, you know each year when it's happening. And it's been that way for years. An event with this type of impact, turnout, and community involvement would surely have a rich and interesting history. And I'm sure it does; it's just not preserved anywhere. The signature event of our town is wrapped in mystery when it comes to its origin and historical developement.
Most people guess the festival started sometime in the early 70's, a simple parade with a few booths selling local wares and goods to celebrate the town's growth. Through the years there have been stories of its evolution; the year the big tent blew over so several men picked it up and carried it to the other side of Parker Road (back when the festival was mainly centered in the field where Home Depot now stands), the tractor pulls and toilet bowl races that took place up Main Street (I am advocating we bring those back!), and the tornado that hit in '91 that flooded downtown right in the middle of the festival.
The history of the festival hasn't been compiled yet, but it's out there. It lives in the memories of our long-time citizens. We want to hear those stories; we want to compile those memories. So if you have lived here for long enough to remember its origin, or even just some stories from "back in the day," reach out to us and let us know. Email us at
