03/23/2018
The members of the Cranfills Gap Septemberfest committee have voted to end Septemberfest. We've had an amazing 40 years! When the first one was held in 1978, it was called the Cranfills Gap Fun Day and was designed to bring in people, reminiscent of the 1950's Saturday mornings when families would load up and go to town. The idea was to promote the businesses of Cranfills Gap and have a time for people to gather and have fun. Events in the earlier years included a baseball throw, baby crawl, rolling pin throw, Senior Ms. CG Sfest, car bash, lawn mower obstacle course, bake sales, arts & crafts sales, bake-offs, quilt shows, and various other kids' activities. We expanded through the years and added a car show and then a wild-game cook-off. Later we changed to a sanctioned cook-off. If I said 'street dances' the memories would abound! People of all ages danced the nights away and always had a great time. Our parades have always been lots of fun with other towns bringing their floats to share, the Ft. Hood Band and 1st Cav soldiers participating, and hundreds of pounds of candy being thrown! Classes have gathered for reunions and ridden together on trailers or in the beds of trucks. Grand marshals have been honored for their contributions to Septemberfest and the CG community, and lots of music has been provided by local individuals and groups. Many years ago we started to crown a Miss Septemberfest to represent us in area parades. Many dollars in scholarships have been given to these young ladies along with another scholarship given to a student at CGHS who was involved with community service through Septemberfest. We purchased the community center building and refurbished it for $52,000, and added the pavilion beside it for $17,000; we then donated it all to the city. We paid for street signs in town, and have put over $24,000 into the CG City Park since 2010. There have been many, many other donations to the city and school through the years. It is our hope that everyone cherishes the memories they have of this long-time event. Some of us working this event are second-generation, as our parents helped start it all in '78. It's deeply rooted in us as we've, literally, grown up working it. However, all good things must end, it seems. We hope that you have all had good times to remember, and we take this opportunity to thank you for all of your support throughout the years.
