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Greased pig slips onto fest schedule
The Pioneer Days Festival is upping the fun with a contest to capture a slippery porker.
By CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published September 2, 2006
DADE CITY - If catching a slippery hog sounds like good old fun and hard work, maybe that's what the Pioneer Florida Museum had in mind when it organized its Labor Day festivities. The greased pig contest is a first for the Dade City museum's annual Pioneer Days Festival, now in its 32nd year. The three-day party will be capped by two Civil War re-enactments, which is a more traditional highlight of the festival. The first re-enactment is 3 p.m. Sunday, and the second at 2:30 p.m. Monday. "The biggest highlight is the Civil War re-enactment," said Christine Smith, the museum's director. "They come, they camp all weekend, and they re-enact the Civil War." The museum always celebrates its Pioneer Days Festival in conjunction with Labor Day, but its own link to the holiday has more to do with timing than workers. The 45-year-old museum moved to its current location, 1 mile north of Dade City off U.S. 301, on Labor Day 1975. Since then, its milestone event has always been celebrated around the holiday. The festival site will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Built around the idea of celebrating farming and craftsmanship, the museum was started by a donation of old farm equipment to the Pasco County Fair Association. For its Pioneer Days Festival, traditional crafters, master gardeners and arts and crafts will be on display on the museum's 20-acre site, 6 acres of which are set aside for exhibition space, Smith said. There will be living history demonstrations, a greased pole climb, as well as showcases of antique cars and tractors, Smith said. On Saturday and Sunday, traditional folk music is on offer, and the First Four Quartet of the Dade City Baptist Church plays Sunday. Proceeds from a Trash 'N Treasures sale - essentially a large garage sale - will go to the museum, Smith said. The fair costs $6 per entry. Those between 6 and 15 get in for $2 each. Anyone younger gets in free. Parking is free. The museum can be reached at (352) 567-0262. PIONEER DAYS FESTIVAL When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today through Monday Where: 15602 Pioneer Museum Road in Dade City; 1 mile north of Dade City off Highway 301 N, east on Pioneer Museum Road. What: Entertainment, music, crafts, pioneer exhibits, trash and treasure sale, children's activities, antique cars and tractors, food and museum exhibits. SPECIAL EVENTS Today Free pancake breakfast to the first 500 admissions 11 a.m.: First annual greased-pig contest 1 p.m.: Butterfly garden seminar Sunday 3 p.m.: Civil War re-enactment battle Monday 2:30 p.m.: Civil War re-enactment battle Call 352-567-0262 or go to the Web site at http://pioneerfloridamuseum.org
[Last modified September 2, 2006, 06:35:10]
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