We congratulate Skidmore of 2019 on its revival of the Punkin Show. We’re sure a wonderful time will be had by all. We think back to the early days of the first Punkin Shows with this advertisement and report from the September 9, 1902 Skidmore Standard, page 1:
To Have Punkin Show
Skidmore is Preparing to Celebrate.
Annual Event in Northwest Missouri Town will be Interesting — Pumpkins by the Millions will be on Exhibition — Other Features Including Street Fair and Horse Show.
In the beautiful valley of Skidmore grow / Fed by the rain, the sun and the dew / Two million pumpkins and then a few.
But what’s the use of going into details? The country bard did his worst, but he told the whole story in the first paragraph.
Skidmore has raised 2,000,000 pumpkins this year and she’s proud of it.
All of those pumpkins have been invited to a big show — the kind Skidmore is famous for — which will be held September 16, 17, 18 and 19.
The great feature about the Skidmore Punkin Show is the pumpkins.
They Go Punkin Mad.
During the four days of the exhibition the people of this thriving northwest Missouri town go punkin mad. They subsist on mashed pumpkins and pumpkin pies, wear pumpkin leaves for clothes, drink water out of hollow pumpkin rinds, use pumpkin jack-o-lanterns to light the streets at night, string pumpkin seeds for beads, talk about pumpkins, dream about pumpkins and sing ‘Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater,’ in the churches.
Of course there will be a few other events as a sort of side issue to the pumpkin show, but, to quote from the official announcement:
Get a Free Drink.
‘If we don’t show you the oddest shaped pumpkins and the crookedest necked squash and the longest handled gourd you ever saw in all your born days, then you go over to Doug Montgomery, mayor of the city, who will give you a free drink at the town pump.”
One of the announcements is to the effect that W. J. Skidmore, editor of the Skidmore Standard, will deliver a scientific lecture on ‘Pun-kins.’
Street fair features will be in evidence, and handsome sums have been hung up in premiums for various classes of handiwork, for fine stock, horses, mules and other vegetables.
Skidmore Standard, Sept. 9, 1902, p. 1.
Advertisement reads, “Special Attractions at the Skidmore Punkin Show, Sept. 16-19. Four Big Days. Something doin’ every minute. White & Lamart, Silent Comedians, Acrobatic, Contortionistic, and Pantomistic Marvels. With the famous Maggy Murphy House. Two performances each day on the streets free to everybody. Three bands, Graham, Maitland, Skidmore, concert every evening. Drills by Royal Neighbors, Modern Woodmen and Junior League. Steam swing, Jubilee Singers and other attractions. Fast ball every day. Horse and mule show and fancy drivers. Grand Carnival Friday Night. See large bills and day program.”