Wednesday, August 28, 2019

City Party Enjoyed By Thousands

Marietta Daily Times, August 21, 1924

A crowd estimated at from 8,000 to 10,000 people thronged lower Front Street on Wednesday evening for the big community celebration which re-dedicated the re-surfaced and widened thoroughfare. The celebration was a huge success and showed a fine community spirit.

People came from all parts of the county and joined in the fun and frolic of the evening that commenced early and continued until after midnight. Owing to the crowds jamming about the orchestras, which were stationed at the head and in the middle of that portion of the street roped off for the jollification, dancing did not commence until late in the evening.

The School Band gave a fine program from 7 to 9 o'clock from a platform made of trucks placed in front of the Gruber store. The Night Owls orchestra took possession of the platform at 9 o'clock and for more than an hour played its jazziest music to get the program of the evening started, but nothing diffused the crowds until the lighting of the huge pile of store boxes on the top of the levee, when the crowds scattered and the dancing was commenced.

Sam Farmer's string orchestra played its old-fashioned dance music for waltzes, schottisches and quadrilles and had its dance patrons first at the upper end and later at the lower end of the block. With the Night Owls playing nothing but jazz, their music was the more largely patronized.

Corn meal was spread over the surface of the "dance floor" to make it easy for the dancers.

No comments: