Gilmer, Texas is situated quietly in the midst of deeply wooded East Texas. For most of the year, the town of 5000 is quiet, with little activity stirring among residents. However, once a year since 1935, usually the second week of October, the town comes alive with music, parades, carnival rides and exhibits honoring the famous Gilmer yams.
History of the Yamboree
The East Texas Yamboree began in 1935 when several non-profit organizations in the Gilmer area organized a festival to coincide with the Texas Centennial Celebration. Per the festival's name, this area of East Texas flourished with yams in the early twentieth century. The community takes pride in the yearly event, with volunteers sustaining most of the organizational and maintenance duties involved with the festival's preparation.
The East Texas Yamboree Yam Queen
Each year the Yamboree hosts a queen that is chosen from a selection of about seven girls. The queen becomes part of an elaborate coronation ceremony that is the official start of the Yamboree festivities. Each year's queen is selected from a panel of young ladies from the Gilmer area that compete by selling tickets to the grand coronation and yearly barn dance. The contestant that sells the most tickets and raises the most money is granted the honor of the Yam Queen Elect, a title that changes to Yam Queen at the queen's coronation ceremony. Each year, the queen participates in a special "Queen's Parade" through the main thoroughfare of the town. Aside from the queen's float, other floats enter the parade as contestants to be judged. Awards are given to the best floats.
Attractions at the East Texas Yamboree
The annual Barn Dance is a major part of the Yamboree that features live music from both local and national bands. The music invokes a southern feel that brings dance attendants out of their seats and onto the dance floor. The Yamboree also features a full livestock show, bandstand, canning and quilting competitions, and a yam pie competition. In addition to these events, the Yamboree is famous for its full midway carnival rides, locally made foods, and vast number of indoor exhibits.
Most Yamboree events are free to the public, with special attractions costing a fee. As of 2009, the queen's coronation is located in the Gilmer Civic Center and costs between $4 and $9. The Barn Dance also costs extra, with a 2009 price of $15 per person. The East Texas Yamboree draws people from all around East Texas and beyond. Tradition and East Texas charm keep the more than 100,000 yearly Yamboree visitors coming back again and again.
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