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Blackland Prairie Festival

 

May 11, 2008

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Downtown Plano
May 11, 2008
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free General Admission

 

 

Parking and Bus Service is available from Collin Creek Mall to the Festival.

 

CCM: Parking spaces are available east of the Sears Auto Center and drop-off/return is from the Plano Municipal Court Building.

Donation of $1.00 per R/T is requested.

Follow the signs for BLPF parking and bus service.

 

Bus service is also available from the festival to Heritage Farmstead Museum.

 

Service to the Heritage Farmstead Museum is available, starting at the Plano Municipal Court Building. Donation of $1.00 per R/T is requested. Follow the signs for BLPF parking and bus service.

 

Plano – MCB

900 E. 15th Street
Plano, Texas 75086-0828


 pwithpeople.org

 The City of Plano’s 4th Annual Blackland Prairie Festival will be celebrated on May 11, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will encompass historic downtown Plano from Avenue G on the west to Avenue K on the east, beautiful Haggard Park and the J Place parking lot on the north and south—and everything in between!! 

 

Included in our activities will be the historic Heritage Farmstead Museum at west 15th Street and Custer road, and a home tour of Plano’s magnificent turn-of-the-century residences, many of which will be open to the public. 

 

Lining east 15th Street will be Model T’s, a vintage fire truck, old trucks, vintage motorcycles and, although she’s too young, perhaps we will enjoy a glimpse of “Maggi” the 1953 mgtd or a few “muscle” cars as well!  

 

Led into town in his Model T and escorted by the color guard of the Sons of the American Revolution [“. . .they come down main street, drums a’drummin’, sirens a’blazin’ everywhere. . . the vanguard’s a motorcycle corp.! . . . clowns a’clownin’ and a’pinchin’ ever pretty girl who dares to smile. . . !”], Teddy Roosevelt will arrive at the interurban museum where he will deliver his speech from the vintage train car, then walk amongst the crowd to sign autographs and have his photo taken. We have a Wild West show, and the sheriff will arrest wayward citizens and take them to jail: (they will be photographed, and must pay a fine in order to ascertain their release. First though, they will be judged for their “high crimes and misdemeanors” by a teen court, and their fine will be assessed by a sitting judge!  

 

We have a petting zoo and, The Plano Symphony will have their instrument petting zoo at the festival for the enjoyment and hands-on experience of all!

 

One of the many business establishments will be robbed, and one of the merchants will be kidnapped [“oh, my”!], only to, hopefully, be rescued by a real, live, honest-to-goodness Texas Ranger, who will also be bringing the Texas Rangers’ flag and much memorabilia for our edification and enjoyment! 

 

Many of our volunteers and citizens will dress in vintage-inspired regalia, and be present as docents and information volunteers. And amongst the crowd, we are hopeful that you will see a few lovely and lively suffragettes and temperance union members! 

 

We have crafters, era-appropriate food vendors, [cotton candy, chili and cornbread, kettle corn, bar-b-que, hamburgers, hot dogs, fresh lemonade, and hand-dipped chocolate ice-cream sticks,  etc!], as well as commercial vendors for the new generation!

 

We have street and stage entertainment—dancers, jugglers, clowns, barbershop quartets, magicians, and musical acts.  And there will be many heritage demonstrations, exhibitions and activities!   

 

Children of all ages [from infants to our beloved greatest generation] will have pony rides, a petting zoo, and will not only learn how to play four-square,  jacks, marbles and, hoops but, will also have the opportunity to see how hard mom and grandma had to work in order to keep their families clothes clean, food prepared and homes in order in the past!  

 

 We look forward to much participation in our public judged and juried costume contest, for which prizes will be given to the best-dressed city and country boys and girls, as well as the best-dressed city and country adults.  Applications are now available for the costume contest on our website and at teacup antiques, 1013 east 15th Street in historic downtown Plano!  

 

 One of our interesting exhibitions will be a horseback riding demonstration by Equest, which is a wonderful organization devoted to therapeutic horseback riding for our special-needs friends. This demonstration will feature riders and their wonderful steeds, and will show how accomplished and skilled they are together! This exhibition will be held at Heritage Farmstead Museum, which will also conduct tours of the farmstead, and have their grounds open for the delight and enjoyment of our guests! 

 

The law-enforcement agencies will be well represented by the city police and the fire department, and they will maintain order and discipline in the many shops and restaurants that will be open for the festival! 

 

And. . . (I believe I hear a drum roll here!). . .we have entered into marketing agreements with. . .(another drum roll as the suspense mounts. . .) KAAM legends radio 770am, and Radio Disney 620am, and both stations will be at our  festival for the edification, enlightenment, and listening pleasure of all!! Our thanks to Wachovia Securities LLC., for their generous donation, which has allowed us to bring these two great radio stations to the 2008 Blackland Prairie Festival!! 

 

Come join us in historic downtown Plano on Mothers’ Day, May 11, 2008!! Observe this special day with mom in the religious observance of your choice, have Mothers’ Day brunch at any one of our fine downtown restaurants, enjoy with us, our wonderful festival, and be home in time to give all those long-distance Moms, Grandmas, Aunts, Sisters, Nieces and Cousins a call! 

 

We look forward to seeing all of you at the 2008 Blackland Prairie Festival—it will truly be, in every sense of the word, a “hot time in this old town” all day, and we can’t wait for y’all to join us as we celebrate Plano’s past and look forward to her future—together!!** 

 

Thank you to all!

Sharon Lloyd - President

Blackland Prairie Festival, Inc.

 

*taken from ”shiners’ convention”, words and music by the late Ray Stevens.

 

**only a few of the many activities, exhibits, and demonstrations have been mentioned due to time and space constraints. Please visit our website at www.blacklandprairiefestival.org, or contact Sharon Lloyd, President, teacupantiques@yahoo.com, for further and future information.  Thank you!!

 

Please visit our Sponsor page

City of Plano, Tx.

Wachovia Securities

KAAM Radio

Radio Disney

DART

Minter & McGuire

STARBUCKS

North Texas Production Group

Collin Creek Mall / General Growth Properties, Inc