Yamboree

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The East Texas Yamboree, a four-day event held annually during the third weekend of October in Gilmer, Texas, celebrates the sweet potato (called a "yam" in the United States) as a former cash crop, drawing thousands of tourists to the city for the occasion each year. The event has been held in Gilmer since 1935. [1] [2] Festivities at the event include the Queen's Coronation Pageant, a carnival held around the town square, two parades--the first being the school parade with floats built by the different Upshur County Schools and different East Texas marching school bands. There is a marching contest for the high school bands on Friday. School floats are also judged, and the floats that earn first, second and third places are in the Queen's Parade, which takes place on Saturday. Other activities include a barn dance and livestock shows for the area FFA participants. Gilmer, Texas is the County seat of Upshur County and during this one week, the population of Gilmer grows in size from 5,000 to over 100,000 people. There have only been two times that they have not held the East Texas Yamboree and that was during wartime during World War II and recently when the COVID-19 pandemic started.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

To celebrate the Texas Centennial, counties around the state were tasked with having festivals. It was decided that Upshur County would celebrate the yam, once again thriving due to the recent lifting of a quarantine on the former cash crop. The quarantine had been put in place in the late 1920s, as the result of a weevil infestation. [3] The festival proved to be so popular that the committee decided it would take place yearly from then on. It was temporarily suspended in 1941 due to World War II, and resumed in 1945; besides 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, resuming in 2021. [4]

Past Yam Queens and Presidents [5]

YearPresidentQueen
1935R. C. BarnwellJane Tuttle
1936J. R. PennMarjorie Coe
1937W. C. BarnwellRuth Hogg
1938V. E. ToddErnestine Dedman
1939Fred ArnoldBobby Jean Warren
1940Clarine Smith
1941Genice Graves
1942Betty Ann Quiz
1946John BrogoittiAnn Wilkinson
1947B. D. FutrellNell Brison
1948Royce HoggBarbara King
1949Ralph MichaelAngela Hogg
1950Don WilliamsLena Margaret Harper
1951Robert E. ParsonsJoyce Isbell
1952Wessel WilsonLinda Carroll
1953Looney E. LindseyDiane Dupree
1954F. L. GarrisonCarol Cox
1955B. L HoggMary Lou Ragland
1956Bill StevensonAnna Beth Jones
1957Mason ReardonSue Sorrells
1958Leon PresnellMary Laschinger
1959Melvin M. CrossAnn Buie
1960James CroleyMargaret Ingram
1961Gordon FinneyPatricia Aldredge
1962Richard PotterKay Floyd
1963Tom DavisCathy Kurtz
1964Harlan ThackerKaren Clark
1965C. E. ElwellLinda Garrison
1966Phil WoodDonna Williams
1967Harvey ArnoldNancy Williams
1968Dr. Bob GlazeMary Jo Proctor
1969Kenneth WhiteLana Sisson
1970Dewitt AlexanderLaine Potter
1971Fred OdomCindy Clark
1972Steve DeanLaura Potter
1973Bill BeischDonna Stracener
1974Frank BreazealeMary Jane Ford
1975Byron SpencerStephanie Mayfield
1976Bill PattersonPhebe Phillips
1977Don SmithEllizabeth Ann Patterson
1978Robert StracenerSusan Stracener
1979Bill TaylorAnn & Nan Poole
1980Steve WilliamsPam Yocom
1981Jack BairdKim Listenbee
1982Larry HensonDarrellene Wilson
1983Cranfill Cox, Jr/Larry HensonPeggy Lawler
1984Dr. Andy GlazeTeri Smith
1985Paul David WilliamsFran Traywick
1986Dr. Randy McDanielVictoria Mitchell
1987Elliott DeanAmy Dean
1988Pete HerrmannKay White
1989Tedd AustinJennifer Bishop
1990George DoddChristi Seahorn
1991Gary PattersonMary Jane Dean
1992Dr Jerald WaltonTracy Diane Williams
1993Kelly Cox WhiteAnna McDaniel
1994Steve StewartSarah Lenora Dean
1995David McQueenNatalie Young
1996A. L. Payne LesleyErin Glaze
1997Randy HillAbigail Elaine Stewart
1998Larry CowanHayley Carol Smithhart
1999Nat HarrisonElizabeth Anne Daniels
2000Dr. Dean BumsSummer Layne Weisinger
2001Joe Lynn TilleryAdrienne Lee Lindsey
2002W. Dennis DespainNancy Marie Warden
2003F. Wayne SkinnerCourtney De-An Bums
2004Brian WilliamsAnn-Marie Despain
2005Dr. David BullerKatie Elizabeth Mannis
2006Phil FowlerMary Carol Despain
2007Jeff DoddLeslie Taylor McQueen
2008Michael Leon MeltonStephanie Lynn Henson
2009Dr. Steve MurryLindsey Renee' Donaho
2010Judge Dean FowlerKaitlyn Blair Tackett
2011Randy HillDrew Danielle Henson-Hill
2012Richard (Ricky) HollowayMary Paige Linder
2013Ray CulbersonKarlie Carol White
2014Randy DukeAlexis Marie Williams
2015Edward WilliamsJayce Savanna Finch-Henson
2016Shayne WilsonRiley Mackayla Meritt
2017Brandon GarmonMadison Lee Dean
2018Troy MurrayBrinkley Grace Rash
2019Michael BlanksAudrey Scott Nolan
2020Kyle BowdenCarleigh Judd
2021Rucker Joel MurryHannah Jean Henson
2022Jordan GlazeCaroline Michelle Dean
2023Abigail Elaine StewartAddison Jayne Young
2024TBD

See also

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References

  1. Sewell, Ernestine P. (1989). Eats: A Folk History of Texas Foods. TCU Press. p. 169. ISBN   9780875650357 . Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  2. "Families celebrate 74th East Texas Yamboree in Gilmer - KYTX CBS 19 Tyler Longview News Weather Sports".
  3. Laschinger Kirby, Mary (2009). Gilmer. Arcadia Publishing. p. 68. ISBN   9780738571249 . Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  4. "Gilmer, Tex., Warms Up for Harvest at Yamboree Revival". The Billboard . 27 July 1946. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  5. 2019 East Texas Yamboree Catalogue