Only Challenge For Uncle Dave Macon Days Were Friday Storms

Jul 09, 2016 at 11:30 am by bryan


The only challenge for the 38th Annual Uncle Dave Macon Days came around 8:30 Friday night when the storms rumbled through. Everything else, even World's Largest Square Dance, went well. Based on ticket sales, estimates put the attendance at over 15-thousand. That breaks previous records.

World's Largest Square Dance

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And speaking of breaking records, Uncle Dave Macon Days' efforts to break the world's record of the World's Largest Square Dance was around the inner circle of the historic Rutherford County Courthouse on Thursday evening, July 7, 2016.

There were approximately 700+ dancers, and that was shy of the 800 record made about four and a half years earlier in Yorkville, Illinois.

Uncle Dave Macon Days' President Gloria Christy told NewsRadio WGNS . . .

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One of the requirements was that all participants had to have been at the site because of the square dance, and not there as a part of another event. Obviously, that was not a problem, since those who volunteered were there for the event.

When around a hundred more dancers were needed, organizers asked for spectators to step forward and be a part of the competition. The long standing tradition of the Volunteer State proved accurate as the needed participants pushed the number to 836.

It will take awhile for the folks with the Guinness Book of World Records to determine whether or not the 836 dancers who participated in Uncle Dave Macon Day's efforts to break the largest square dance record that now held by Yorkville, Illinois who had 800 dancers in December 21, 2011.

Friday Evening Storms Biggest Challenge

Shortly before Trailblazer winners The Boxcars were about to begin, Festival Director Ben Wilson decided for safety reasons, it would be best to postpone the concert.

Volunteers and vendors were securing their goods, while a contingent of fearless followers who were set to weather the storm and await the show to resume. After awhile, it became obvious that it was not going to be a quickly passing storm. Those super fans then walked to their vehicles in less than enjoyable conditions.

Despite Friday's heat and evening storm, more than 5,000 fans had entered the Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village show grounds.

Everyone agree that Wilson's decision was a good one. High winds and a deluge of rain swept across the area and twisted some of the canopies and tents.

Many Improvements This Year

There were several improvements to this year's Uncle Dave Macon Days. One was the fact that patrons were able to either purchase tickets on-line or from a highly organized and fast moving box office at the Hickerson Drive entrance to Cannonsburgh. Another was set for sunset concerts on both evenings.

And as always, one of the highlights of the entire festival were the musicians who just showed up, seemed to instinctively connect with others and formed bands. They each found good shade trees and had fun pick'n the old time music beside the grist mill, along the creek, by the blacksmith shop and other sites around Cannonsburgh. It's always refreshing to saunter along the paths and hear one song fade to the next band that you are approaching.

All-in-all, the 38th Uncle Dave Macon Days was a tremendous success, and participants agreed it was a fun weekend. WGNS thanks everyone who made this possible. It is a vital ingredient in what we all lovingly refer to as The Heart of Tennessee.

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