Though no official count is available, several longtime Eatonton residents suggested Saturday’s crowd for the 62nd Putnam County Dairy Festival, presented by The Pilot Club, was one of the largest they’d ever seen, and certainly the biggest of recent years.
Estimates ranged from 5,000 to 10,000 attendees, with the only thing known for sure it was a successful event on all fronts.
The much-anticipated Dairy Festival parade started promptly at 10 a.m., led by local police and fire department vehicles, followed by city and county elected officials, local service people, and visiting dignitaries, with several riding in open convertibles and tossing candy to thousands of kids and parents lining the streets of downtown Eatonton.
A lengthy string of antique tractors then snaked its way through curves and turns, accentuating the rural dairy farm presence at the heart of the day, leading several floats from various businesses and service organizations decked out in dairy-inspired regalia that were inserted throughout the long procession.
Then came the Dairy Festival queens and runners-up of all ages on various flatbeds, culminating in the arrival of official Dairy Festival Queen Lily Grace Huskins, with first runner-up Grace Stanford, second runner-up Emma Jo Parham, and Miss Congeniality Vidhi Raiyani all seated on their thrones in one of the highlights of the parade.
Traditional comic relief and entertainment were provided by local Shriners putting on a spirited driving display at every opportunity in their tiny cars, complete with a mini tow truck that was put into service before the parade ended as it hauled away a broken-down entry.
The parade concluded with a long string of various collector cars, including Tri-Five Chevys, a couple of rat rods, a selection of classic muscle cars, and an extensive collection of late-model Corvettes.
Once the parade ran its course, a brief opening ceremony, punctuated by short speeches by Eatonton Mayor John Reid, Putnam County Commissioner Bill Sharp, Georgia Dairy Youth Foundation President Carol Williams, and Georgia Milk Producers Executive Director Bryce Trotter preceded keynote speaker Tyler Harper, the 17th commissioner of agriculture for Georgia, sworn into the position this January by Governor Brian Kemp.
After emphasizing agriculture as the No. 1 industry in the state, of which dairy farming is a major component, Harper said the Department of Agriculture touches every Georgian in some way, from ensuring means and standards are met in safe food and dairy production, to weighing each-andevery ball used in state-lottery drawings to maintain accuracy and fairness.
“Georgia is the best place to do business, but we can’t be the best place for business if the No. 1 industry in our state isn’t successful. And the dairy industry plays a significant part in that,” Harper said.
He stressed that the efforts of people like Trotter and Williams, as well as those they work with, remain crucial to continued success in agriculture and dairy production.
“Because at the end of the day, agriculture is national security. If we’re not working to protect our own food, fiber, and shelter right here at home in our own borders, we’re less safe as a state, we’re less safe as a community, we’re less safe as a nation,” Harper declared. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be buying my food from China. I want to buy my food from Georgians. I want to buy my food from Americans.”
Meanwhile, all four streets surrounding the courthouse square were teeming with many dozens of vendors providing food, drink, and various arts and crafts to a hungry and thirsty crowd on a typically warm Georgia summer’s afternoon. Plus, there were free dairy treats available from The Dairy Alliance, while they lasted.
And Maggie, a live dairy cow, patiently waited onsite with no shortage of visitors showing up for petting and picture taking with her.
However, every once in a while, she let loose with a loud, bellowing Moooooooooo!, just to remind everyone what dairy farming is all about at heart.