De Leon Peach and Melon Festival
One of the best entries ever in the Peach and Melon Parade was this stilt walker presented by Bibby’s Variety Store in either 1938 or 1939. Hired out of Dallas, the walker was a short muscular man who ran the bingo stand at the Texas State Fair. He had been an acrobat and was paid $25 plus travel expenses. Howard Bibby bought the overalls from Oshkosh for about $20 in a special deal. The walker’s biggest problem was always dogs that would grab the pants. He could only hope he could land gently.
For the story and photos of the 1995 Peach & Melon Festival World Record Water Melon Seed Spit
Click HERE.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Photos in albums below can be viewed as a slide show or individually. Simply click on a particular photo or exit slide show by clicking on “Show Picture List” then click on an individual picture. Information about that photo is usually provided. Choosing the slide show option will not show the specific photo information.
The beginnings of the Peach and Melon Festival, photos from the Free Fall Fair.
Photos from the 1939 Festival parade. Photos are from personal albums of Fred Harmon, given to his employee, Mrs. Everett Hansford.
Photos from the 1940 Festival. Photos and ad provided by Hiram Smith Jr. and from albums of Fred Harmon.
Photos of the 1941 Festival from the Fort Worth Star Telegram Aug. 31, 1941.
The Festival was suspended from 1942 through 1946. These photos generally fall from 1947 through the mid 1950s.
