Annual Four States Fair & Rodeo Parade

The 71st Annual Four States Fair & Rodeo is getting ready to kickoff Sept. 11-20 in Texarkana. The Four States Fair Parade is this Saturday, Sept. 12 at 10AM in downtown Texarkana.Many of you may remember this but when I was a child the fair parade used to coincide with the opening night of the fair and was held in the afternoon. I was fairly young (no pun intended) when my mother used to dress me and my brother up in a western-themed outfit complete with cowboy hat, cap plastic guns, boots and spurs. I hate to admit this, but I think I made a pretty cute cowboy considering I was only around three or four at the time.

My mother always made sure we got there early enough to stop in at Wellworth's on West Broad Street for an ice cream cone. That's right, toward the front of the historic five and dime store there was an ice cream booth and they sold some of the best ice cream in town. I loved going in there because the lady working the booth would always give me an extra scoop of ice cream I guess, because I was so cute. Sounds a little conceded, but it's the truth!

However, those days are gone, Wellworth's is nothing more than an empty building on Broad street, but the memories I have, standing next to my mom watching the parade is something I will always cherish. So now, when I'm driving the Kicker truck in the parade, I always glimpse over and remember that very hot day in September and I have to smile a little and say to myself, "thanks mom," for a lasting memory.

The Four States Fair was founded in 1945, however, there are records dating back to the first rodeo being held in 1940. In the fair office there is a brochure on display that someone donated to the fair listing the second annual rodeo in 1941.

In 1945, the Annual Four States Fair and Rodeo's charter was established. A parade was held downtown to kick off the fair, and the grounds were built at what is now known as Spring Lake Park.

During the 1970s-1980s the Four States Fair originally was located at the Spring Lake Park where we now have the baseball complex. Does anybody remember the old steam engine train that used to sit behind the outdoor rodeo stands? Does anyone know what happened to that train? I have a picture of my father holding me when I was a baby in front of that train.

The Four States Fair and Rodeo eventually moved to its new home on the Arkansas side adjacent to Bobby Ferguson Park, where it remains today.

Here are a few of the bigger events taking place this weekend.

Friday Sept. 11