Lilac Days: A unique celebration

Twenty-six years ago, the Basin Chamber of Commerce revived a celebration that had been abandoned since 1945. From the beginning of the town’s settlement, it had been known as the Lilac City.
“The people settling Basin found that lilacs did well here and provided a sense of settlement. Before long, there were lilacs in almost every yard in town, and while a really hard winter killed a lot of them, some of them are still alive almost 100 years later,” said Barbara Anne Greene, president of the Basin Area Chamber. “The original Lilac Festival grew out of that as a community celebration. The chamber revived it in 1998 and it became Lilac Days.”
The celebration has something for almost everyone. There are opportunities to fish, run or walk, eat, play cornhole, draw on the sidewalk, play games and listen to music. The day’s events will provide a background for a truly local celebration where the community can visit and enjoy the uniqueness that is Basin.
“Lilac Days kicks off on Friday evening with a concert at the Washington Park where Man in Tan will entertain,” said Greene. “Also, there will be dining specials at the Overland that night and on Saturday. The Copper Corner will have a steak special Friday night.”
On Saturday the kids free fishing kicks off at 8 a.m., at the raw water pond; there will be free fishing poles for those youngsters who don’t have one and tackle boxes to be given away as prizes. Registration for the 5K run/walk will also open at 8 a.m. at the park and the runners/walkers will leave the park at 9 a.m. The fishing poles were donated by North Platte Walleye Unlimited. Councilmen Stuart DesRosier, Chuck
Hopkin and Brent Godfrey will run the event.
The free breakfast, which has previously started at 10 a.m., will begin this year at 9:30 a.m. The music by Brett Savage will start at 10 a.m. as he welcomes everyone to the celebration. Also kicking off at 10 a.m. will be the kids games, shooting sports, bike rodeo and sidewalk art contest. The car show will be set up by then, too, for those who enjoy perusing beautifully restored cars. The bike rodeo also starts at 10 a.m.
The princess contest begins at 10:15 and the baby contest at 10:45. Pre-registration forms for both contests are in the Basin Chamber foyer. Parents can register the babies the day of the contest. They need to be at the park at 10 a.m. to do so. “Baby contestants are 2 years old or younger. It is open to babies from all around the county. Each contestant will receive a prize. The actual Lilac Baby must live in the town of Basin. Registrations ends at 10:15 on Saturday,” said Greene.
“The princess contest is for those leaving fifth grade and through high school. Those wanting to participate need to meet on Friday evening for practice at 5 p.m. in Washington Park.  Registrations will be due at that time.”
Following the Lilac Baby contest, the Lilac Queen will be crowned at 11:30 a.m. “The queen is chosen by the community by putting their votes in boxes at businesses around town. It needs to be a woman who has supported and influenced Basin,” said Greene.
The cornhole tournament which has been held on Friday evening has been changed to noon at the park. Those want to sign up should call Casey Massey at 307-272-5582.
The Wing-it Food Truck and Haley’s Concession will have food and drink available for purchase.
“There have been a couple of changes this year,” said Greene. “Nothing too drastic. The time of the breakfast and moving the cornhole tournament to Saturday instead of Friday evening. The weather looks to be wonderful, so come out and enjoy a day of visiting, eating, listening to good music and celebrating Basin, the Lilac City.”
She continued that without chamber members and local business many events couldn’t take place. Lilac Days is sponsored by TCT, Big Horn Co-op, Big Horn REA, Queen Bee Gardens and Security State Bank. Other sponsors are Gottsche, Basin First Baptist, Town of Basin, Club Dauntless, Basin Police Department, Cody Regional Health, Basin City Arts Center, The SHACK, Friends of the Basin Library, Valley Hardware  and BHC 4-H Shooting Sports.
A full schedule of events is available on the Basin Area Chamber’s Facebook page and in this edition of the Basin Republican Rustler.