Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

Manchester Old Timers Day returns to the Historic Manchester square this Saturday with a host of events.

Cloggers will be performing on the parade route at 9 a.m. before the Old Timers Day parade that starts at 10 a.m. A cake walk will also be held on Saturday.

There will also be a Manchester Old Timers Bingo Night Thurs. Oct. 2 from 6-8 p.m. Bingo is free for all, and there will be prizes available for winners.

Duck River Dance will be performing from 12:30-1 p.m. on Saturday, and there will be live music throughout the day including Christian band Never Ashamed who is playing the event for the first time.

This year’s Old Timers Day will be the first under the umbrella of Brianna Victory Events, a local event organizer owned by Brianna Hale.

“It’s a lot of work, but I do enjoy it,” said Hale jokingly. “It’s not for the weak at heart. I’m excited to see everybody and meet everyone that I haven’t gotten to meet yet.”

Hale says that she kept everything virtually the same this year to help with the transition between organizers but may implement some new activities in the future.

Another way of honoring that transition was naming former organizer Roger Steele as the Old Timers Day Parade Grand Marshal.

“Roger said I have to pick somebody that has done a lot for the community and is deserving of it, and Roger’s done a lot for the community and has given back a lot,” she explained. “It’s not easy putting together an event no matter what the event is, so Roger definitely has done a lot for Old Timers Day, so we picked him.”

Steele had the idea of bringing the event, that started in 1964, back in 2011, and, along with the Old Timers Day Board, was the driving force behind the event for the last fourteen years.

“I have enjoyed my time as chairman and organizer for Manchester Old Timers Day since 2011 when we brought it back,” said Steele. “I am very honored and pleased to have been chosen as the Grand Marshal by the new leader Brianna Hale. My team and I put in countless hours of dedication to the event and are pleased with our results.”

In addition to organizing Old Timers Day, Steele has also held appreciation events for the Manchester Police and Fire departments, Rescue Squad and ambulance personnel as well as the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department and several local volunteer fire departments.

“I don’t do it for recognition, just the smiles on everyone’s face when they are recognized,” said Steele. “I’m sure I will be involved in other projects as time goes by. Thank you, Manchester, for trusting in me to be a leader.”

This year’s festivities will also include over 150 vendor booths that will be set up around the square, including several first timers.

931 Homemade Crafts, operated by Abigail Grainger and her mother, is selling crafts for the first time at Old Timers Day, though the event is a long-held family tradition.

“We’ve always went to Old Timers Day as a family event, and our crafts are a family project together, so we figured we’d even it out and set up as a family down there,” she explained.

Some of the crafts they offer include painting lately, porch leaning signs, door hanging signs, bowls and baskets made from twine as well sewn lanyards and wristlets.

When asked what her favorite part of Old Timers Day was, Grainger quickly came up with her answer.

“Definitely meeting new people and getting to interact with our community more.”

To find out more about Old Timers Day, visit the Manchester Old Timers Day Facebook page.