Although Thanksgiving is usually Jay’s main feature of November, there’s still something even more exciting than the Christmas Parade being offered before the end of the month this year. It’s the First Annual Cotton Festival being sponsored by the Jay Historical Society.
The festival will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday November 24, 2012 but isn’t expected to draw much interest before the afternoon since the Jay Christmas Parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Entertainment is not expected to begin before 12:30 p.m.
Now that the Jay Historical Society has the museum home, its members are turning their attention to projects that will be of interest to the citizens in and around Jay and beyond. Pat Cashman, Jay Historical Society president, explained the absence of a festival last year was simply due to “…not being ready.” The Society’s museum home was getting some extensive renovations: and although the all-volunteer workforce did an excellent job on the building it didn’t come together in time for a festival.
The Society elected to partner with the Jay Annual Christmas as a date that for their festival because there would be a wider audience. People could enjoy the festival in a continuous Christmas-spirited mood.
The festival will be held on the lot behind the museum with plenty of food and beverages. There will be large and small bounces, wagon rides, two train displays, flint knapper, and Winston Burnham making arrowheads and doing rock carving. Now that the renovation is complete on the Jay Historical Society’s museum, it will be open, also.
And what would be a Christmas event with Santa! He will be inside the museum, and for a donation anyone can make as many pictures with him as they wish. For any further questions about the festival, call Pat Cashman at 675-6970. In as much as this is a family-oriented affair, no alcohol will be permitted.
The Society welcomes everyone, and both admission and parking are free.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Jay prepares for first Cotton Festival