Afternoon showers on Saturday did little to dampen the spirit of the Baileyton Celebration.

The celebration, held each year the weekend after Labor Day, began Thursday evening with a beauty pageant and continued throughout the weekend in front of the Baileyton Elementary School.

The parade, vendors, music, and numerous other events were the pinnacle celebration of the year for the community of Baileyton, and a feeling of community pride permeated the weekend.

"One of the things I love about it is that it is more than just Baileyton," said Virginia Cooter, organizer for the event.

"We get to bring a lot of the area community together as well."

The Saturday morning parade featured local sports teams, churches, government officials and organizations along with others from elsewhere in Greene County and the area as well.

The Shriners are always a key feature of the parade, and area chapters from as far away as Knoxville were represented.

The marching bands from Chuckey-Doak High School and North Greene High School took major roles in the parade on Saturday morning.

The Van Hill Free Will Baptist Youth Group won the day's float building contest.

To Patrick Coleman, a member of the North Greene High School baseball team, the highlight was "throwing out the candy."

The celebration also featured a number of vendors and games.

"This many vendors in one place coming together -- I don't think it gets better than that," Cooter said.

Saturday night featured a "Presidential Debate/Belton Town Hall Style" skit. Local teachers and school board members tested their acting chops with the locally-written comedy.

"Welcome to the Belton Presidential Debate between Obama Bubba yo Momma and the Governator Mitt Romney," Baileyton teacher and debate moderator Chris Long said in opening the event.

The "Belton skit" provided local flavor to national politics and brought the nation's capital to small town Appalachia.

Presidential candidates debated topics such as Baileyton's Social Security system, foreign policy, and the recent county school budget problem that threatened to close Glenwood Elementary School.

Saturday evening, a street dance for children under 18 set the small community bouncing to the beat of youth. The youth literally took to the streets, which had been cordoned off by police officers.

Although country may have been the theme of entertainment during the day, Pop music reigned at night.

On Sunday morning the community was asked once again to gather -- this time for worship ... and cars.

The local churches, representing multiple denominations, gathered to worship together as a community.

The car show was featured in the afternoon.

John Rierson enjoyed examining the cars on display Sunday afternoon. A 1965 Mustang caught his eye.

"I had the same model for my wife in bright turquoise," he said.

Rierson remembers his wife filling up the car with gasoline for a mere $4 and being able to drive to and from work all week on that tank of gas. "We always called it 'The Easter Egg' because of the bright turquoise color," he said.

For Dolly Sexton the celebration was a reunion for family.

She and her three sisters, who all make hand-pieced quilts, had their wares on display for purchase in a tent next to her nephew, who makes and sells dulcimers, an instrument with ties to Appalachian history.

"We are usually here every year," she said. Her favorite part of the celebration is the Sunday morning service.

"I think it's wonderful they can all get together and worship together as a community," she said.

Her 11-year-old grandson of Bulls Gap, Dakota Sexton, directed wandering shoppers to his uncle's tent. Jimmy Woods makes wooden dulcimers.

To the young Sexton the afternoon's highlight was "sitting, hanging out with Jim, listening to him play the dulcimer and helping him negotiate."

Other events included local music entertainment by Stoney Creek Cloggers, Zumba, a 5K road race, quilt and needlework show.

Winners of the weekend's events were:

* Baby Miss: Aubrey Ginley;

* Miniature Miss: Kennedy Reese Malone;

*Wee Miss: Laela-Lane Jewel Weems;

* Tiny Miss: Kaylie Grace Burns;

* LaPetite Miss: Madison Faith Metcalf ;

* Little Miss: Connie Michaud;

*Junior Miss: Sabrina Brooke Fillers; and

* Miss Baileyton: Kelly Mrock.

* 0-4 years old: Aubrey Ginley;

* 5-11 years old: Anna Grace Parlapiano; and

* 12-18 years old: Whitney Ada Johnson.

* First place theme: Van Hill Youth Group; and

* Second place theme: Baileyton Ruritan;

* Non-theme first place: North Greene Future Farmers of America;

* Best overall: John Collins with a 1948 Case;

* Farthest traveled: Ed Petiit, 1949 John Deere;

* Oldest Tractor: John Collins, 1948 Case; and

* Most original: James Wine, 1952 Oliver.

Jason Randolph and Beau Kisabeth, of Dandridge.

* Mayor's Choice Award: Tim Hawk;

* Committee Choice Award: Dale and Charlotte Tunkett;

* Pre-1939: William Pasche; and

* Post-1940: Thomas Davis.

* Afghan by Wanda Woods

* Sharon Kilday: Antique

* Shelia Carter, women's division.

* Dustin Greene, men's division.