It’s only just the beginning of spring, but if you consider yourself an engaged member of the Saluda community, it’s never too early to start thinking about Coon Dog Day, which is held each year on the first Saturday after July 4.
There was a time when Coon Dog Day was kind of like the third rail of politics in Saluda. No one was going to touch it — let alone challenge its very existence. Over the years, though, what was once the biggest celebration in the county started to lose its lustre. After the city ended the prohibition on the sale of alcohol back in 2005, some folks started complaining about drunken partiers ruining the wholesome nature of the festival, particularly the square-dancing at the tail end of the day’s events. For some reason, the elaborate floats that made the Coon Dog Day parade such a draw for thousands of visitors — and residents —stopped being quite so elaborate. And where were all the racoon hounds? Then covid hit in 2020, and the whole thing had to be cancelled for two years.
That gave citizens the chance to mull over whether Coon Dog Day was really worth the effort and the money. Someone has to pay for the police presence — unless all the officers agree to volunteer their time. There’s golf carts and shuttle buses to rent, and hassle of shutting down Highway 176 for a day. It turns out that not everyone in Saluda loves Coon Dog Day, particularly those shops and businesses on Main Street who find it more of a expense than an opportunity.
Saluda’s Board of Commissioners recently held a public hearing to consider the future of Coon Dog Day. The consensus was that this summer’s version would be a scaled-back event, a lot like last year’s, which was much quieter than pre-covid days. Everyone seems to still like the 5 K run, which has been a part of the day’s schedule for years, but gone are the carnival amusement-park rides and over-sized food trucks. And, as you’ll hear in my talk with Saluda Mayor Tangie Morgan, who headed the Coon Dog Day committee long before she was elected in 2021, there are the inevitable problems that come with trying to celebrate a history that isn’t always squeaky clean.
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