Neewollah facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neewollah Festival |
|
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} |
|
| Genre | Festival |
| Begins | October 23, 2020 |
| Ends | October 31, 2020 |
| Frequency | Yearly, last week of October |
| Location(s) | Penn, Independence, Kansas 67301 |
| Years active | 105 |
| Inaugurated | October 31, 1919 |
| Most recent | October 23, 2020 |
| Website | Neewollah Festival Website |
 |
|
The Neewollah Festival is a super fun yearly event held in Independence, Kansas. Its name is "Halloween" spelled backwards! This festival takes place during the last week of October, leading up to Halloween. It's a huge celebration that brings together people of all ages for parades, music, games, and lots of tasty food.
Contents
History of Neewollah
The Neewollah Festival started way back in 1919. People wanted to create exciting and positive activities for kids. This was a way to have fun instead of the usual Halloween pranks.
In the early days, the festival focused on parades. These parades happened all day on October 31st. They featured decorated cars and carriages. Queens and princesses from other festivals joined in. There was also a special "Queen Neelah" chosen by votes.
The festival paused during the Great Depression and World War II. But in 1958, four local business owners brought it back! They made Neewollah even bigger, turning it into a three-day event.
Today, Neewollah is the largest yearly celebration in Kansas. The town of Independence, which usually has about 10,000 people, grows to 75,000 visitors during the festival's final days. The celebration now lasts for 10 days! It includes three parades, a chili cook-off, a musical show, and a queen's pageant. Downtown Independence fills up with over 30 food stands, a big carnival, and a stage for nightly entertainment. There are also arts and crafts, a pumpkin contest, a band competition, and a fun run. Over 500 volunteers from the community work hard to make this amazing festival happen.
Carnival Fun
The Neewollah Carnival is a favorite part of the festival. Ottaway Amusements brings this exciting carnival to town. It usually runs from Wednesday to Saturday during the festival week.
The carnival is full of bright, flashing lights and happy screams. It's a blast for the whole family! You can hear the sounds of the rides and games all over the festival grounds.
Queen Neelah Pageant
The Queen Neelah Pageant is a long-standing tradition at Neewollah. Girls aged 17 to 18 from Independence and nearby towns can compete. Usually, about 25 to 30 contestants take part.
The pageant has two main nights: the talent show and the coronation. But there's much more that happens behind the scenes! Contestants attend fun events like a "pop party," a tea party, and a brunch. They also have interviews with the judges and create a special bio about themselves.
On coronation night, the girls wear beautiful dresses and walk across the stage. At the end of the night, awards are given out. These awards include Miss Talent, Miss Originality, Miss Beauty, and many more. The biggest award is, of course, Queen Neelah!
Grand Parade
The Grand Parade is a huge highlight of the festival. This exciting parade lasts for two hours! It starts at the corner of Penn and Chestnut streets. Then, it travels south on Main Street, turns east on Sixth Street, and goes south one block to Maple. From there, it turns west to Ninth Street. The parade finishes by heading north on Ninth Street, just before the Independence Middle School.
The Grand Parade is incredibly popular. People set up their chairs along the route very early in the morning to get the best spots. By 11 a.m., when the "great fly over" happens, the crowd can be five people deep in many places! Before and after the parade, you can enjoy free street acts, the carnival, and food stands along Penn Avenue.
Other Parades to Enjoy
The Kiddie Parade The Kiddie Parade is another big attraction at the Neewollah Celebration. This parade was created years ago just for the children of Independence and the surrounding areas. Over the years, it has grown to include more than 1,000 children! In recent years, as many as 15 middle school bands from all over eastern Kansas have marched in this parade. Families and organizations have also built over 30 creative floats for past parades.
Doo Dah Parade The Doo Dah Parade is a special event just for adults at Neewollah. It's a chance for those who are still kids at heart to celebrate in their own unique way! Sometimes there's a theme for the parade, and other times it's a free-for-all. This Mardi Gras-style parade goes from Memorial Hall to just south of Penn and Main streets. A King and Queen Doo Dah are chosen each year. They lead a parade of fun-loving people, including funny drill teams, "bearded beauties," and unusual characters.
Marching Band Festival
The Neewollah Marching Festival is one of the oldest running band festivals in Kansas. It takes place on the last Saturday of October. The event is held at the Independence Community College and high school football field.
Bands from all over can compete for top honors in different categories. Bands are grouped into four classes based on their size. Trophies are awarded in each class for the Outstanding Drum Major, Outstanding Color Guard, and Outstanding Percussion Line. The overall GRAND CHAMPION OF THE FESTIVAL also receives a special trophy!
To compete in the Marching Band Festival, bands must also march in the Grand Parade.
Musical Show
Each year, the Neewollah Festival features a fantastic musical show. In past years, popular shows like The Little Mermaid and The Addams Family have been performed. For example, the 2019 musical was Shrek The Musical. People from Independence and nearby towns can audition to be part of the musical. The show is performed three times before the main Neewollah activities begin.
Images for kids
-
A banner welcoming visitors to the Neewollah Festival.
