The Old Rugged Cross
In the midst of all the festivities at the Goodman Ozark Orchard Festival Saturday was an old, worn, wooden cross and hanging from it was a tattered Old Glory. It was symbolic of the roots and the present McDonald County, a symbol of God and country — Christianity and Patriotism which remain alive and strong, according to the person who set up the display — Josh Wagner of Splitlog Baptist Church in Goodman.
The first Goodman Ozark Orchard Festival Saturday was attended by a large crowd.
Karla McNorton, Goodman assistant city clerk, said there were 43 vendors at the festival and an approximate total of 2,400 people attended the event.
Mayor Greg Richmond and the committee that put it together deserve kudos for a job well done.
Since this festival was so successful, McNorton said, the city is planning to have another one next year.
The festival was at the Goodman ball field at 224 E. Garner — an ideal location since it offers a lot of space for the vendors, games, inflated bounce toys, dining area, as well as parking.
Splitlog Baptist Church in Goodman donated the delicious chicken, the city donated the rest of the food to include hamburgers and hot dogs and the bottles of water were donated by the Goodman Banner Church of the Nazarene.
The perfect crisp, sunny, fall day was the icing on the cake.
The underlying theme for the festival is the rich history of orchards — apples and strawberries, which covered the Goodman area in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The town was named after Lowell A. Goodman whose company, the Ozark Orchard Company, planted the orchards on 2,500 acres which is where Goodman stands today.