Wilmer cancels Pioneer Days

WILMER – Much like the fate of the Texas State Fair this year, the City of Wilmer has decided to cancel its Pioneer Day’s Festival for 2020 too.

Held in the fall, Wilmer’s Pioneer Days marked its 35th anniversary last year, but this year due to COVID-19 the festivities will not happen.

“This was a very tough decision. While we know this is a signature event, we hope you understand that the health and safety of all involved has remained our top priority throughout the decision-making process,” said Wilmer City Administrator Rona Stringfellow.

The festival, which over the years has been complete with a parade, carnival rides, vendors and camaraderie is a celebration that has marked the city’s long history. 

In 2019 the event was launched as a multi-day festival marking the City’s 100-year anniversary.

Several past Wilmer mayors and the current mayor, Emmanuel Wealthy attended last year’s event to ring in the centennial celebration.

“Many citizens that reside within Wilmer expressed the need to highlight the previous public servants that held office as the Wilmer’s Mayors,” said Wealthy of last year’s parade and festivities where former Mayors like Ann Hester (1987-1991), Linda Root (2002-2004), Don Hudson (2005-2008), Hector Casarez (2011-2014), Casey Burgess (2014-2018) and Wealthy (2018-present) kicked the parade off from Adam Park.

With the pandemic and the fact that the State Fair of Texas had been canceled, many vendors were the same used in Wilmer. 

Vendors this year were not sure of the ability to staff the event properly for cleaning purposes and so the decision to cancel the event was decided.

With the city’s growth over the years, Pioneer Days has been a way to bring  back past residents as well as family and friends together to eat, play and dance while remembering the importance of the founding of the city.