From the earliest days of recorded history, there have been communal gatherings to celebrate the spring planting season and fall harvest. Through the ages, these celebrations have developed differently according to the customs and habitat of the community and region where they have been held.
Since the founding on March 1, 1849, of Waco Village, which eventually became the City of Waco, festivals of various kinds have been recorded in her illustrious history. The Floral Fete or May Day Canival was held on May 6, 1895. Elaborately decorated floats, carriages, grand marshals, decorated horses, and horsemen were all a part of the grand parade, as members of the community from far and wide watched with delight while wearing their best May Day attire.
From those early beginnings, the evolutionary process has taken place, which brings us to the current Festival on the Brazos celebration. The historical production is reminiscent of the festivals of the past, which created excitement, pleasure, and hope for those who attended. While it maintains a sense of history by recreating the past, may it give greater understanding to the possibilities that lie ahead for the community that began long ago on the banks of the Brazos.
