History of the Dyer Station Celebration

If there is a set purpose for the Dyer Station Celebration, it would have to be to help the town and the community reach its fullest potential ; economically, spiritually, and socially, and to do so without sacrificing the small-town qualities  that make Dyer and its inhabitants so very, very special.

The “Dyer Station Celebration” began as a dream of the late Mrs. Georgia McIlWain Ellis, and after her death, it became a reality through her nephew, Johnny McIlWain, Jr. In the spring of 1984, Johnny enlisted the aid of Judy Baker, Sue Stephenson, Marilyn Howe, Carolyn Harrison, Brenda Holland, Joey Hays, Mary Jeffries, Carolyn Karnes, Alberta Jamison, Jane Kelley, Sara Ellen Jones, George Ellis, Lapearl Burns, Alice Brewer, Lou Ellen Bone, Amy O’Bannon, Mary Nell Nicholson, Dorothy Mullins, Judy Newbert, and Kay Tignor to organize West Tennessee’s first Fourth of July celebration.

From that first sixday festival involving a handful of Dyer citizens has grown a community project involving hundreds of people, hundreds of hours of planning and work, and many events throughout the calendar year. These include the publication of a book about the history of the Dyer community, “Christmas in Our Hometown” festivities, celebrity auction, parades, fireworks displays, competitive events, tournaments, cantatas; and it provides necessities for many of the less fortunate in our community.

The Dyer Station Celebration festivities are geared toward celebrating in an old fashioned down home way. From the country dances and homemade ice cream sales to the tours and exhibits, from the community-wide church services to the arts and crafts judging, all of the events are planned to appeal to all age groups from all walks of life. The name, selected through a contest that was won by Martha Lynn Knott, Helen McCaslin, and Tim Plunkett, reflects one of the earliest names that the city of Dyer was called.

If there is a set purpose for the Dyer Station Celebration, it would have to be to help the town and the community reach its fullest potential ; economically, spiritually, and socially, and to do so without sacrificing the small-town qualities  that make Dyer and its inhabitants so very, very special.

The Very First Dyer Station Celebration

The first Dyer Station Celebration was in 1984 and opened on Friday, June 29 with members of the Dyer VFW Post raising the American flag downtown. The celebration continued for six days ending on Wednesday evening, July 4. There was a town fair with arts and crafts, sidewalk sales, cake sales, and balloon sales. There were exhibits and a booth selling Special Events calendars as well as caps and t-shirts.

On Saturday there was a musical service at Horatio’s. The town fair continued and was covered by a five-hour radio broadcast as arts and crafts were judged. There was a booth for the collecting of recipes for a cookbook, as well as a voter’s registration drive. There were games and activities for all ages, inside as well as outside. At 4 p.m. there was a fashion show and costume contest followed by a Hee Haw show. There was also a wiener roast and hay rides. The opening ceremonies were at 6 p.m. with a balloon release followed by a beauty revue to select Dyer Station royalty.

Sunday began with “dinner on the ground” at the city park. There was a plant and flower show and a community church service. The afternoon brought a pilgrimage featuring a tour of five Dyer homes, two churches, and a visit to the “Cats from many countries” collection on display at the Dyer Elementary School.

On Monday there was a model kit contest, more games and activities at the park, a senior citizen’s cook off, while Joanie’s School of Dance performed in the evening. This was followed by a talent show and contest.

On Tuesday there were more games and activities at the park with a scavenger hunt, a musical revue at Horatio’s, a horse show, a square dance, and a youth dance.

On Wednesday, July 4, the celebration culminated with a parade, races, tennis finals, softball finals, a crafts and collectibles festival, and more games and activities at the park, followed by the Awards Ceremony. That evening there was a closing ceremony that ended with a fireworks display.

Also, there was a Tall Tales contest. Some of the games at the park included the egg toss, sack race, tug of war, high jump, tobacco spitting, horseshoes and washer pitching. Some of the booths included a kissing booth and a dunking booth. The first celebration was deemed a major success and paved the way to becoming an annual event.

 

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