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Country Day on the Hill Retains Its Small-Town Feel

October 12, 2006

By BETH FREED / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

For Texan settlers, autumn leaves signaled harvest time and festivals. In today’s Cedar Hill, the rapidly growing population is less in tune with heritage, but the Country Day on the Hill celebration reintroduces residents to their roots.

Jimmie Ruth White, a primary organizer with the Friends of Country Day, said Cedar Hill’s historic downtown is the perfect place to reconnect with the past. Even though the space bursts at the seams during the event, organizers have resisted moving the festival.

“It keeps the small-town feel to it,” Ms. White said. “You’d lose the ambience and camaraderie if you move it.”

School groups, churches and various community organizations contribute to the event, which is often as lucrative as it is fun. One Country Day, the high school softball team raised $2,000 for new pitching machines; they had planned four fundraisers to meet the need.

“Country Day shows the true spirit of Cedar Hill,” said Stephanie Starrett, a Cedar Hill banker whose children grew up attending the fair. “You can really see how committed the groups in Cedar Hill are to helping each other.”

Ms. Starrett said that Country Day offers a nearer and lower-cost alternative to the State Fair of Texas.

Since the streets will be blockaded, kids can run around to their hearts’ content. To accommodate the lack of ample parking within walking distance of the festival, there will be a free shuttle from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday from the Cedar Hill High School parking lot at U.S. Highway 67 and Cooper Street.

The Old Settler’s Reunion on Friday evening will bring Cedar Hill residents and old-timers together. On Saturday, with activities, games, vendors, talent displays and a petting zoo, “there’s something for everyone from 0 to 99,” Ms. White said.

One of the main attractions is music. Retired musician John Austin has booked acts for the past six years. This year, he has brought in several styles to get folks moving to the beat. Festival favorite Grupo Lazzo and the David Cavalier Band, a zydeco Cajun group, are sure to inspire audiences to dance, he said.

“Even if your foot’s asleep, you’ll feel it tapping,” Mr. Austin said.

Beth Freed is a Dallas-based freelance writer. E-mail beth.freed@sbcglobal.net

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One Response to “Country Day on the Hill Retains Its Small-Town Feel”

  1. David Rush on October 12th, 2006 9:58 am

    Wade,
    We’ll see you there!!!
    David & Anne Rush

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