Gloomy Skies Does Not Dampen Dixie Day Fun
By Marissa Sweatland
InkFreeNews
NORTH WEBSTER — Last night’s thunderstorms and this morning’s gloomy skies did not dampen any Dixie Day fun. The day kicked off with the Sailors and Mermaids 5K run.
The male’s overall winner was Brian Shepherd, 57, with a time of 18:24.29 and the woman’s overall winner was Yvette Rojas, 26, with a time of 18:42.67. Second place overall male was Filemon Perez with a time of 18:34.37 and overall woman Jody Brown with her dogs Dilly and Flash with a time of 23:39.03. To check your official race time, click here.
Once the runners crossed the finish line, the real fun began.
Food vendors lined up down West Washington Street, selling some fair food classics like doughnuts, kettle corn, cheeseburgers, barbecue, lemon shakeups, ice cream, milkshakes and a couple Mexican food trucks were parked toward the end.
Artisan vendors were spread out down West Washington Street and across Pilcher’s front lawn selling incredible, local handmade art. Dixie Day goers could find everything from homemade baked goods, cutting boards, wood work, crocheted goodies and more.
The car and truck show took place on the Mermaid Festival grounds. Rows of vintage and shiny cars and trucks lined down on the grounds.
Other Dixie Day events included a dunk tank and a scavenger hunt that brought participants all around Dixie Day, and of course, a ride on the Dixie.
- Runners start their watches as they take their first steps of the 2023 Dixie Day 5K.
- Yvette Rojas crosses the finish line. Rojas was the first woman overall winner with a time of 18:42.67.
- Ashley Scott and Jemma Kaiser run through their team’s spirit finger tunnel before crossing the finish line.
- First and Second overall winners, from left: Filemon Perez, Yvette Rojas, Jody Brown with Dilly and Flash and Brian Shepherd.
- Overall winners of each age groups, from left: Filemon Perez, Yvette Rojas, Jody Brown, Brian Shepherd, Cora Ransbottom, Barb Daugherty, Heather Sherman, MorningSun Kelly, Jeri Purdy, Arvil Howe, Scott Bolenbaugh, Nick Labella, Jay Rhodes, Stephen Bremen, and Greysen Shipley.
- Jody Brown, Dilly and Flash cross the finish line. Brown was second place woman’s overall winner.
- Nancy and Jeff Bryant, right, and David and Sandy Schmidler drove in from Indianapolis to enjoy Dixie Day!
- The North Webster Lions were grilling up some cheesebugers.
- Ray and Barb of Popper’s Kettle Corn making fresh, delicious kettle corn.
- Jim Nolan shows off his ’63 Galaxy at the 2023 Dixie Day Car and Truck Show.
- Steve Percy entered his ’66 Chevy Nora in the Car and Truck Show.
- Toby Weaver stands next to his ’61 Dodge Lancer.











