By Rachel Galvin

This year, Pioneer Day was a little different due to COVID-19. Instead of a parade and events down on the beach, there were festivities on only one day and held where the event all began — at Pioneer Park. 

The event included live entertainment and food trucks. The historical society was there and had a booth not only showing local history, and commemorative items to buy, but also an alcohol booth, including a special Cracker Day drink — Jack Daniels and Root Beer, and it came with a box of Cracker Jacks. (Pioneer Day originally was called Cracker Day, as in the farmers that cracked the whip). There also were live artists painting.

The event was held with safety in mind. People have to register and there was limited capacity, in three different separate groups through the day. People had their temperatures checked before entry and received a blanket for sitting in one of the socially distant chalked-in squares on the grass, and a hand sanitizer. There also were hand sanitizer stations. Everyone was required to wear masks as well.

Artist Garbriela Gamperl had a tent where she taught people about pointillistic painter George Seurat and gave everyone a canvas and paints, and they could use Q-tips to make their own pointillistic masterpieces.

The live entertainment on the list for the day included Randi Fishenfeld and Wildfire, Jay Valor, Joey Gilmore and Kong the DJ.

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Fun at Pioneer Days while serving up good eats.

Artist Gabriela Gamperl talked about artist George Seurat and everyone did pointillistic paintings.

Everyone gets a blanket to use and take home.

Sweet Lipz, serving up sweet treats, was one of the food trucks.