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By Ashley Morgan
The Dawg Days of Dawson featuring Farm Days kicked off Saturday October 14, 2023 in the Dawson City Park. There was a tractor/equipment display, vendor market, kids’ carnival, dunking booth, Fall picture display, cornhole tournament, live music and street dance by Diamondback Texas. This is the third “celebrate Dawson year” according to Committee President Kaye Taylor Walden. Other committee members who help construct the events include Barbara Adler Kelley, Vickie Pierce, Kassidy Smith, Brittany Humphries, Sharon Mitchell, and Kristie Walther.
Sponsors this year include the NavCo Chronicle, Citizens State Bank, Rafter 4B, Cre8stone, Kaluza HVAC, Express Car Care, RTSS Gun Range, Subway, ABC AG, Hubbard Feed store, Moore Tire, JPM, Hubbard Livestock Auction and help from the Dawson school students who set up booths and ran the kids’ carnival. All carnival funds go to the Dawson school classes this year.
There were several Navarro County food trucks present including Shake The Bone, Tastytown Cafe, Amayes-ing, Grazing BBQ, C&S Baking, and others. There were multiple vendors like Junkin with Jordan, C&J Farms, Barham Custom Knives, Dranny’s Designs, Two Sisters with Kaye Walden, Hill Farm To Table Ranch LLC, D’s Up Designs by Denise, and more.
This is the fifth year since the Committee began and events started in the town of Dawson. The Dawg Days in the park was originally formed by Chuck Raines three years ago. Other annual events held are the Trunk or Treat Halloween night. This consists of candy and hayrides to and from the First Baptist Church of Dawson and coincides with the church’s Fall Festival. The Christmas in the Park will be on December 9th this year where Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will make an appearance at the pancake breakfast around 9am at the Dawson Fire Department before the parade starting at 11am.
When asked about the Committee’s future plans, President Kaye Walden spoke of more events to continue improving the Park. The committee became a Non-Profit 501c3 last year and has already upgraded security lights and more in the park. Next will be filling in the concrete and making the pavilion rectangular and larger as well as concreting the old depot to build an open area stage for events. “Dawson is the forgotten stepchild of Navarro County, but we take care of our own ” according to Kaye Walden.
Long-term goals are to receive grants for a community center to be built that would be used for a possible office for Sheriff Tanner and his deputies, a severe weather shelter for residents, and to serve food. The committee has already met with Congressman Jake Ellzey to discuss grants. Sheriff Tanner who grew up in Dawson also discussed the need for a community center and the endless possibilities of how it could be utilized.
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