October 4, 2023
The Lake Whitney Chamber of Commerce will present the 48th annual Pioneer Days Saturday, October 7, with the annual carnival getting underway Thursday evening and continuing through Saturday’s festival.
Carnival games and rides will operate in the downtown area from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday evenings, and the fun will continue on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, $25 wristbands will be sold. A wristband gains riders at least 36 inches tall access to all the rides.
Opening ceremonies for this year’s festival will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday with Mayor Janice Sanders welcoming those in attendance and booths opening to the public.
Vendors will offer food, drinks, crafts, novelties and other items for sale throughout the downtown area. Entertainment is also scheduled throughout the day.
The annual Pioneer Days parade always draws the day’s biggest crowd, and lineup at Whitney Intermediate School will begin around 1 p.m. The floats will leave WIS at 2:30 p.m., with the intention of having the first entries reach the main stage at 3 p.m.
The parade will travel through downtown streets and include VIP vehicles, dancers, the Whitney High School band, first responders, floats designed by local organizations and businesses, clowns, horses and much more.
Spectators are asked to stay close to sidewalks and out of streets for safety.
This year’s festival will be held the same weekend as Whitney’s homecoming football game, and the chamber invites any former Whitney High School students participating in homecoming activities or reunions to join in the fun downtown.
A complete schedule of events can be found in the center spread of this week’s edition of the Lakelander.
For more information or questions about any of this year’s activities, contact the Lake Whitney Chamber of Commerce at 254-694-2540.
The Lakelander 