Desloge readies for Labor Day Picnic

The Labor Day Picnic at the Desloge City Park is a four-day festival that brings thousands of visitors to the town every year.

This year’s theme “This Little Town of Mine” pays homage to the Lead Belt

DAN SCHUNKS, dschunks@dailyjournalonline.com

Labor Day means different things to different people. To some, it is an opportunity to celebrate the common laborer and all that they do. To others of a certain age, it is the last holiday of the summer, the last gasp of summer and summer activities. And for those in Desloge and the surrounding area, Labor Day means picnic.

Started by the St. Joe Lead Co. as a picnic for their workers and their families, the Labor Day Picnic, sponsored by the Desloge Chamber of Commerce, is now a four-day event beginning Friday evening and concluding at 4 o’clock Monday afternoon. Held in the picturesque Desloge City Park, the picnic features fun, food, music, vendors, and crafts for visitors of all ages.

The theme for this year’s picnic is “This Little Town of Mine” and T-shirts with this logo can be purchased at deslogechamber.com/make-a-payment. Shirts can be picked up at the chamber office, located at 204 N. Lincoln St., the week before the picnic or at the Chamber Tent during the Labor Day Picnic.

According to Chamber Executive Director Cheri Henderson, since the pandemic, the picnic has grown to include a record number of vendors with crafts, information, and the all-important, food. Various organizations will be hosting fundraisers among which will include a dunking booth.

The picnic kicks off with the Jeep show on Friday evening, Sept. 1, from 6-9. Hosted by Lead Belt Off-Road Club and sponsored by Midwest Sports Clinic, the show will be at Spradling Pavilion in Desloge Park.

Events for Saturday include:

• LPD 5K/1 Mile Walk, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., hosted by the Dravet Syndrome Foundation; sponsored by Remax-Carla DuVall. The event starts across from the City Pool.
• Cornhole Tournament, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (bags fly at 10 a.m.), hosted by Bully Bags, sponsored by Flooring Systems Inc. The event is held in Spradling Pavilion.
• Car & Truck Show, 4-7 p.m., hosted by Barnhouse Supplies, sponsored by Griffin Automotive at the Spradling Pavilion.
• Street Dance, 7 -8:30 p.m., hosted and sponsored by O’Dells Dance Center. Meet by the City Park Flag Pole.

Sunday events are:

Church service, 10 -11 a.m., hosted by the Restoration Worship Center, held in the City Park Gazebo.

Motorcycle Show, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., hosted by Park Hills Cycle Servants, and hosted by Buckley Towing. Meet by the City Park Flag Pole.

Little Miss & Master, 2 p.m., hosted by Project Graduation, sponsored by O’Dells Dance Center. This event will be at the City Park Gazebo.

Monday, Labor Day, brings the Labor Day Parade, hosted by First State Community Bank. Parade Marshall this year is Keith Propst and the Grand Marshall is Desloge Police Chief James “Jebo” Bullock. Parade lineup begins at 7:30 a.m. behind the North County Middle School and the parade steps off at 9 a.m., sharp.

Also on Labor Day, there will be an Antique Tractor Show from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., hosted by the Mineral Area Heritage Tractor Club, held at Spradling Pavilion; a Child ID Program, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Spradling Pavilion; LPD Cake Walk at noon, hosted and sponsored by First State Community Bank. Meet by the City Park Flag Pole.

There will be music throughout the four-day event. The band lineup includes:

Route 67 performs in 2021 at the Labor Day Picnic at the Desloge City Park.

• Friday, 6-10 p.m., Fame N Fortune
• Saturday, 12:30-3 p.m., Noah Messy; 4-6:30 p.m., Shannon Cox; 7:30-10:30 p.m., The Outsiders
• Sunday, 12:30-3 p.m., The Berry Singers; 3-5 p.m., Jackie Tyler; 6-8 p.m. Johnathan Braddy Band
• Monday, noon-4, Tres Amigos

PBJ Happy Day Show hosts the carnival rides, which will be in full operation Friday from 5-10:30; Saturday, from 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, Noon – 10:30 p.m.; and Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Labor Day Picnic Ride Wristbands are available at Belgrade State Bank, New Era Bank, First State Community Bank, and Unico Bank. With the purchase of your discounted Labor Day Picnic carnival bracelet tickets, at $15 each, purchasers will be able to enjoy “all you can ride” Friday or Sunday. They are non-refundable and can only be used on Friday and Sunday.

Major sponsors for the picnic are: Platinum level, First State Community Bank; Gold sponsors: Unico Bank, Henderson for Missouri, and Twin Oaks Vinyard land Winery; Silver Sponsors: Unico Bank, Henderson for Missouri, Twin Oaks, Brockmiller Construction Inc., Pettus Auto Sales, International Union of Operating Engineers 513.

While Executive Director Henderson has put in countless hours in organizing this year’s event, she defers credit and states that “Each board member has had an important part to play to bring this to fruition.”

The American flag starts off the Labor Day Picnic Parade on Monday in Desloge in 2021.