By By Penny Randall/The Meridian Star
Aug. 24, 2001
Union's Country Day will celebrate its 25th anniversary Saturday.
The downtown Union event kicks off at 8:30 a.m., with the Antique Car Parade from Jackson Road through the downtown area.
Chairman Robert Blount will begin the opening ceremony at 9 a.m., followed by an official welcome from Mayor Max Sessums.
Country Day will offer a host of entertainment, including the Doris Dickerson Band, the Christian trio Embrace, the blue grass band The Purvis Family, The Pearl Quartet and the Blacklidge Quartet from Meridian.
Talent contest winners will perform at noon, including overall winner 13-year-old Heather Garrett of Meridian and adult division winner Kristy Irons of Philadelphia.
Carley Townsend of Union, who placed first in the up to 12-year-old category, also will perform.
The only event not in downtown Union is the annual Mule Pull, which will be at City Park.
Also, beginning tonight, the Phoenix Carousel Company of Tallahassee will have their traveling carnival rides set up behind the post office in Union. The rides will be open all day Saturday.
Penny Randall is an editorial assistant for The Meridian Star. Call her at 693-1551, ext. 3216, or e-mail her at prandall@themeridianstar.com.
Country Day Program:
8:30 a.m.: Antique Car Parade begins
8:35 a.m.: Union High School Band concert
8:45 a.m.: Union High School Choir concert
9 a.m.: Official opening of Country Day by Chairman Robert Blount
9: 20 a.m.: National Guard Recognition, Lt. Col. J. Durr Boyles, guest speaker
9:40 a.m.: Doris Dickerson Band
10:25 a.m.: U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering
10:30 a.m.: Embrace, a Christian trio
10:55 a.m. : State Auditor Phil Bryant
11 a.m.: Clayton Pepper performs
11:30 a.m.: Michael Miller performs
Noon: Introductions of Country Day talent winners
12:15 p.m.: Country Day talent winners perform
12:30 a.m.: Abe Stollby performs
1 p.m.: The Purvis Family performs
2 p.m.: Mule Pull in City Park
2 p.m.: Emily "Tiger" Horton performs
2:30 p.m.: Madison Hardy performs
3 p.m.: Hailey Cheatham Knight performs
3:30 p.m.: Carole Kay performs
4 p.m.: The Pearl Quartet performs
5 p.m.: The Blacklidge Quartet from Meridian performs
6 p.m.: Closing of arts and crafts show
7 p.m.: Hosanna in concert