What? You've not heard of Nixa Sucker Day? And, hopefully, after seeing the logo to the left, you aren't thinking lollypops.
Well, you could plan on visiting Nixa, Missouri (Christian County) on May 15 and 16, 2015, to find out about the event. Or you could seek out Glenn Scott, as we did. He's the 2015 Sucker Day president.
Probably, gone are the days when Nixa locals closed up shop or skipped school to go "grabbin' for suckers," but the longstanding tradition that provides fun for the whole family, along with good food and plentiful entertainment carries on. We're told that the first Nixa Sucker Day was started in 1957 by a local barber named Finis Gold. Suckers are fish. Locals didn't need much of an excuse to close shop to go fishin'.
The event benefits the community. Proceeds from Sucker Day activities are donated to various organizations in the Nixa community, including for scholarships for Nixa High grads, donations to Project Graduation and the Nixa JROTC.
Meet Catostomus commersonii, better known as a white sucker. While it is used generally as bait (Walleye, bass and catfish to name a few love to eat it), it might be found in the market as mullet.
A Sucker Day parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15, starting at the Nixa Junior High, proceeding south on Missouri Street, west on Mount Vernon (Highway 14) and north on Main St. The parade containing floats, bands, classic cars and equestrians will be headed by a Grand Marshall, TBA. Money and certificates will be awarded to the top three entries. (Want to enter? Go here.)
Sucker Day booths open at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, with vendors lining both sides of Main Street. (For more details about vendor acceptance go here.)
Then on Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m. a talent competition takes place for kindergartners through 12th graders. But first, all those interested need to attend a mandatory rehearsal on Thursday, May 14, at 5 p.m. at the Faught Administration Building, 301 S. Main, Nixa. (Bring along a check or money order for $10 for a solo entry or $5 for each of a group. It is nonrefundable.) For a talent entry form and more rules go here.
Other activities on Saturday include a bubble gum blowing contest at 11:30 a.m., bingo at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., a hula hoop contest at 12:30 p.m., a pie pig-out at 1 p.m. and bunco at 5 p.m. Kids Korner activities take place for all ages starting at 10 a.m. and lasting throughout the day. The Finley River Boys of Springfield will provide entertainment.
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