To The Leader

Downtown Orange will be bustling with activity from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at the Orange Train Depot, 1210 Green Avenue, for the third annual Depot Day Spring Festival, sponsored by the Friends of the Orange Depot.

Designed to have a fun carnival-like atmosphere for families, Depot Day activities that will be filling the green lot across 11th Street will be pony rides, a petty zoo, face painting, and returning this year the popular Balloon Twister, not to mention the colorful trackless train.  Entrance is free and tickets for some of the activities are only $1.

Special this year, under a large tent outside the depot, will be entertainment all afternoon.  Participating are singers and dancers from the Orange Community Players, Dayle Gunn and the Orange Blossom Line Dancers, and dancers from Encore Dance Studios.

For anyone who wants to sit down in the cool of the Depot, Split-the-Pot Bingo, new this year, will be held from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. only, with famous bingo-caller Ron Cowling. Cards will only be $1 per card per game. Everyone should encourage their friends who like bingo to come to play in this unique setting.

In the small room of the Depot, local model train clubs will have a set up to be enjoyed by all.

Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.  Items featured this year are two Walmart bicycles, SF Credit Union $50 Gift Card provided by Kristen Williams, $25 Gift Card from WellSpring Credit Union provided by Beth Arnold, gift certificate from Carol & Company Hair Products and $25 from Old Orange Café, a $25 Gift Card from of MCT Credit Union provided by Jill Watson, and a gift basket provided by Chris Kovatch of Bridge City Bank containing an assortment of “Pioneer Woman” items.

Multiple food vendors are offered during the festival:  Knights of Columbus burgers and more, Dough Dough Girls, Coolbreeze Ice Cream, tacos, and new this year mushrooms from The Stuffed Mushroom and Michael Kelly’s barbeque, prepared in his portable “train.”

Also on the grounds will be a classic car show provided by the Spindletop Rods, which are always popular with the gentlemen.  And several vendors selling their wares will be on the “midway.”

“We hope everyone will spread the word about this opportunity to enjoy the Depot which we designed to be a community center for the residents of Orange County,” said Carrie Woliver, president of the Friends of the Orange Depot.  “And while they enjoy the Spring Festival they can see our newly unveiled Texas Historical Plaque, at the top of the steps.”

Sponsors of Depot Day Spring Festival are First Financial Bank, Steirman-Whitfield CPA, Bettye Elliott American Real Estate, Capital Title of Texas, Peterson Plumbing, Claybar Funeral Home and the CRC Foundation.

Friends of the Orange Depot is a not-for-profit organization and funds raised at Depot Day this year will be used to help pay for the Depot museum exhibits which are being planned for installation in 2020.