The smell of fish sandwiches and hamburgers coming from the American Legion stand. the cool crisp air in front of zipper and the roundup. The pageants at center stage. On Saturday morning everyone you know would be downtown to watch the parade which usually lasts 2 hours. Aww, Sikeston Cotton Carnival week is one of my all time favorite things from my childhood.
Even after I moved away, I would come home for the weekend to watch the parade with my family. Every year we would sit in the same place. It would be my dad, my sister and her husband plus their three daughters, my brother and his wife and Molly Claire. Aunt Moz also would come. We would enjoy this time as a family. This year Rob is going to join in the tradition. It will be bitter sweet for me this year. This is the first year I have been without my brother there to aggravate me the entire time!
The Cotton Carnival also has pageants. Little Miss and Mr Cotton Top, Jr Miss Sikeston, Miss Sikeston and Miss Cotton Carnival will be held. Jr Miss is only for Sikeston Public School Freshman and Miss is only for Senior girls that attend Sikeston Sr High School. Miss Cotton Carnival is open to any girl ages15-18 that does not attend Sikeston Public Schools.
I won Miss Sikeston in 1989.(Yes it was a long time ago). I always hoped one of my nieces would be Miss Sikeston. Well 3 of the 4 nieces go to private schools. But this year, Jamie is going to be in Miss Cotton Carnival. I get to go through the nerve wracking moments like my sister did when I was in pageants. Now Sara and I can be stressed out together.
Well while Jamie is on stage looking beautiful, you will sure to find me stuffing my face with a hamburger, funnel cake, and whatever else I can find. I am sure I will post pics when we return!
Have fun! I have a hard time not imagining you as one of the girls on "Toddlers & Tiaras" back in your pageant days. haha. :)
ReplyDeleteWe have to get together...if not just to say hi! I wouldn't have Allison with me, she will be with her Dad that week. But I am sure that I will be with my sister, brother in-law, and Dad...since it is a family affair...that thing we call the parade! My nephew is in his senior yr at Kelly and marches in the parade. I was in the parade three yrs ago with Patti Simmons Dance with Allison, that was the first time I had been in since school! Talk about nervous I had butterflies the whole route! more nervous than when I marched in the band..augh! see you soon...
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I was only in 2 pageants as a toddler and you do not eant to know how many I won when I was a teenager. It is redicoulous.
ReplyDeleteLila, We will get in on Friday. We will be at the parade somewhere by Sikeston Cleaners. Then we will be at Miss COtton Carnival right after the parade. We may have to sit on the opposite side of the cleaners so we can get to the pageant to help Jamie! Hopefully we can see each other!