Richard Brian

A Model A car cruises along during Henderson’s annual Heritage Parade On Water Street.

By Mandy Walton · April 22, 2009 · 1:38 PM

As Heritage Days, or what is now called the Henderson Heritage Parade and Festival came and went, I thought it appropriate to share with the citizens of Henderson some history on the celebration.

Henderson was incorporated as a full-fledged city on April 16, 1953. A celebration sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce followed and continued for years.

What I remember from my youth during the 1980s and 1990s was a week-long event filled with festivities. Up until 1995, the event was called "Industrial Days" reflecting the industrial nature of our city's birth. The Henderson Chamber of Commerce used to sponsor the event, from its inception in 1951. In 1995, the name was changed to Heritage Days because the Chamber of Commerce felt that the name better incorporated our old and new members of the community.

Heritage Days used to consist of the Miss Heritage Days Pageant; a Mayor's Street Dance; one day dedicated to a chili cook-off, car show, and concert; a talent show; a charity basketball game; softball tournaments; the carnival; and finally the parade. Buttons could be purchased at participating businesses that guaranteed you admission into all events. The whole city seemed to take on an air of celebration for seven whole days.

2002 was the last year that the traditional festival was held. Just before the City's 50th anniversary the Chamber of Commerce decided they would no longer sponsor the events.

"The festival was a drain on the chamber's budget and kept chamber employees busy for much of the year," Alice Martz, the chamber's executive director, told then-reporter Dan Kulin.

According to Martz, the Chamber of Commerce was going to focus more on business instead of events.

And while the city picked up the parade, it meant no more pageant, talent show, games, or chili cook-offs.

"I was the very last queen," says Tiecha Gray Ashcroft, the 2002 Miss Heritage Days Pageant Winner.

You can read more about the changes that happened five years ago in this article.

I guess you could say that Ashcroft is still the reigning queen of Henderson since no one has succeeded her to win the title. And she's as nostalgic as I am for the old events we used to participate in as kids.

"I absolutely wish they still had the pageant, along with all the other festivities that took place throughout Heritage Days week-long event," says Ashcroft. "They changed the one thing that brought the community together for a whole week every year. I would volunteer my time in a heartbeat to get the pageant up and going again."

Besides just plain fun, Ashcroft remembers the pageant as a way to meet other girls from the community and to develop sportsmanship and character.

"You also have the service aspect of it too," remembers Ashcroft. "As a reigning queen you are expected to fulfill duties that require time and dedication. You are representing your city, and you need to do it well. For example, as Miss Heritage Days 2002 I organized a math tutoring program at McCaw Elementary School. It was fun for me to do something like that. It provided a service that our community needed."

I decided to ask the City if there has ever been thought of bringing back any of the old events from past Heritage Days' days.

Nicole Johnson, information specialist for the City of Henderson Cultural Arts and Tourism said, "The event continues to grow year-by-year and the parade has seen an increase in community involvement through creative parade entries. We have expanded this occasion by adding a car show and a cultural flair with the International Food & Folklife Association's involvement with the festival."

I attended the parade with my family again this year. I have never missed an Industrial Days or Heritage Days parade. However, the festival didn't sound appealing to me, so I left right after the parade. I recognize that we have many different cultures living in our city now, much different than it was 58 years ago, but to me, a celebration of becoming the best community in the nation should bring some partying and rock and roll.

My good friend Anthony Decena said it best when we were talking about the event and how it has changed: "We should be rocking non-stop till the sun goes down."