Haymarket Day 2009 Parade and Festival a Roaring Success
Haymarket, Virginia – October 8, 2009 — Parade, crafts, great foods, trolleys, choo-choo train, ponies and more…. What else could you ask for to make a great Haymarket Day celebration…. How about 15,000 attendees? “That’s about how many people we estimate attended this super one day event” said Gerry Kennedy, founder of ‘Spend The Day in Haymarket’, a local Haymarket awareness campaign. “This was one of the best Haymarket Days ever” said Kim Ingalls, Director of Spend The Day in Haymarket. “Haymarket is a sweet little town and this event brings out its very best.”
The one square mile town of Haymarket, Virginia bursts forth every year on the third Saturday of September. The main street is closed to traffic for the day and following a country style parade, town residents and visitors alike can walk down the center of Washington St. enjoying good food, juried crafts, music, friendly vendors and the enjoyment of good neighbors.
“We are very pleased to have had such a successful event”, says Gene Swearingen, Town Manager of Haymarket. “Behind the scenes we were able to smooth out any bumps in the program and I believe that people really enjoyed themselves.” Mr. Swearingen was instrumental in the planning process for the day. He and Mayor Pam Stutz headed up a group of town staff and volunteers to organize the event. “The weather even cooperated with us to make Haymarket Day 2009 a winner.”
More than 1,800 people across 50+ community organizations participated in the parade, led by the U.S. Army Drum & Fife Corps, which is well known for performing at U.S. Presidential Inaugurations. Float awards were given to Exit Heritage Realty for Best Float and to Fireside Church for Most Original Float. Best Performance Award went to U.S. Tigers and the Mayor’s Choice Award was picked up by the Battlefield High School Marching Band. After the parade, local businesses displayed their wares, local restaurants offered Haymarket culinary delights, music groups, D.J.s, dance groups, clowns and people filled the streets. Dukes of Hazards fans were rewarded by a perfectly restored ‘General Lee’ which was brought to the event by the Fudge Factory of Fredericksburg, Virginia. As a special treat following the parade, the United States Navy Band, the Commodores provided great musical enjoyment to the crowds.
“I want to thank Congressman Gerry Connolly for being our Grand Marshall and all of the volunteers who made this possible.” said Pam Stutz, Mayor of Haymarket. “I also want to thank Corey Stewart, Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, John Stirrup, our own Gainesville Supervisor, and Wally Covington, our neighboring Brentsville Supervisor. Additionally, I want to express my gratitude to the community for attending this year’s event. I think the attendance shows appreciation for small town celebrations in a family friendly atmosphere.”
About Haymarket
Haymarket, founded in 1799, is an incorporated town in Virginia, lying in the western portion of Prince William County. Haymarket encompasses one square mile and has a population of 1,250. Haymarket is replete with history and sits on the 175 mile historical trail, Journey Through Hallowed Ground, which runs from Gettysburg, Pa. to Charlottesville, Va. The Town of Haymarket is governed by a Mayor and Town Council consisting of six members.
About Spend The Day in Haymarket
Spend The Day in Haymarket is a local awareness campaign targeted at making people aware of Haymarket retail and business offerings, as well as the delightful atmosphere of this small historical town. Local businesses have joined together in this initiative to increase awareness and participation in Historic Haymarket.
For additional information contact:
Kim Ingalls, Director ‘Spend The Day In Haymarket’, P.O. Box 546, Haymarket, Va. 20168; phone 703 201 2098; email kimingalls@haymarketoldtownecentre.com
