Come and Take It favorites returning again this year

The Gonzales Come and Take It Celebration is all about “in with the old” as well as “in with the new” as many longtime favorite activities will return when the three-day festival is held Oct. 4-6.

Once again, festival goers will be able to enjoy the re-enactment of the Battle of Gonzales at Pioneer Village; laugh and possibly make side wagers on the chicken flying contest on Saint Joseph Street; take in the sights and sounds of the annual parade; walk the midway at the carnival at Texas Heroes Square; smell what’s cooking at the Lions Club Cookoff; get cultured at the Art Show at the Crystal Theatre; and marvel at the machines taking part in the car show.

Of course, Come and Take It is a celebration of the “never say die” spirit of the Texians and the firing of the first shot of the Texas Revolution during “the Lexington of Texas,” which happened near Gonzales on Oct. 2, 1835, when the Old 18 stood in defiance and dared Santa Anna’s men to “come and take it” if they wanted to confiscate the town’s six-pound cannon.

The re-enactment of this battle is held every year at the Pioneer Village Living History Center, 2122 N St. Joseph St., and will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2 p.m. as history once again comes alive. Admission fees apply.

One of the most popular events at the Come and Take It Celebration has to be the chicken flying contest. This year will be no different as this unique event starts at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Saint Joseph and Saint George streets.

The origin of the chicken flying contest dates back to the Fryer’s Frolics, which took place in the 1970s around the same time as the celebration of the first shot of Texas Independence, which was Oct. 2.

The contest is run by the Gonzales Rotary Club and helps raise money for the club’s missions. Live chickens are placed inside a double-ended mailbox and “gently prodded” to exit one end, with the resultant flight measured to see which chicken flies the farthest. All it takes to fly a chick is a little bit of dough — money, that is. You can bring your own bird or borrow one from the Rotary Club.

Crowds line the sidewalks to watch and kids volunteer to catch the flyaway foul. Sometimes, watching the youngsters race to be the first to retrieve a chicken can be as entertaining as the “flights of fancy” of the bird-brained pullets.

Who doesn’t love a good parade? The Come and Take It Parade literally stops traffic in Gonzales as everyone lines Saint Lawrence, Saint Joseph, Saint George and Saint Paul streets to see the floats and hear the band perform. This year’s parade will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Judging will be held promptly at 9 a.m. and awards will be presented to the winners as they pass the starting point of the parade

The deadline for entries is Sept. 27. Entries brought in through Sept. 50 are $50 each, while those brought in from Sept. 23-27 are $100 each. There will be no entries accepted after Sept. 27. No exceptions!

The Pride of Texas Shows Carnival, the premier carnival in the Midwest, based out of Elm Mott, Texas, returns to the Come and Take It Celebration this week. The carnival will be available Friday, Oct. 4 through Sunday, Oct. 6.

Bracelets for the carnival, which allow patrons to ride all rides, are $30 per person per day for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Otherwise, tickets are $1 each and rides can take between four to six tickets on average.

Hours of operation are 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4; after the parade to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.

The Gonzales Noon Lions Club will hold their annual Come and Take It Celebration T-bone, Chili and Beans Cook-off on Sunday, Oct. 6, in downtown Gonzales in the 400 block of Saint George and the 600 block of Saint Paul streets.

Entry fees are T-bone $60 (steak will be provided); Chili $25; Beans $25; Appetizer $15; Kids Pork Chop $15 (children under 13 only competing); and Cocktail $25.
Prizes will be awarded to the top two in five of the categories (T-Bone, Chili, Beans, Pork Chop and Cocktail), while there will also be awards for appetizers, showmanship and T-bone presentation.

First place in T-Bone wins $250, followed by $100 for second. Top prize in Chili, Cocktails and Beans wins $100 each, with second receiving $35. Kids Pork Chop will award $60 for first place and $25 for second place. The award for Appetizer is $60 and for Showmanship is $50.

The Gonzales Art Group presents the Come and Take It Art Show from Oct. 4-6 at the Crystal Theatre. There is a limit of eight entries per artist, with a maximum of three entries per category. Fees for each

entry in competition: members $4 per entry; non-members $5 per entry; students $1 per entry.

Student categories for entries are defined by age and/or grade while adult categories for entries are defined by medium: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Pastel/ Charcoal, Pencil/Pen and Ink, Sculpture/ Pottery/Stained Glass, Mixed Media, Weavings/Textiles, Alternative Art and In and Around Gonzales County (art & photos)

Times for the Art Show are Friday, Oct. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 5, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 6, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A silent auction will run from opening Friday to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

For additional information please contact Janice Williamson at (830) 857-5694 / jsw0883@gmail.com or Sarah Bailey at (830) 857-5695.

The 28th annual Come & Take It Classic/Exotic Car Show will be held Sunday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saint Joseph Street in Gonzales. This legendary event celebrates the beauty and power of classic and exotic cars. It raises scholarship money for graduating students in Gonzales and surrounding counties.

Trophies are awarded for first and second in each class, plus there is Best of Show, Kids Choice, door prizes and a 50-50 drawing. Early entry is $30 per entry and $35 on day of show. For more information, contact Rita Ashby at 713-202-2318.