HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 859 Offered February 6, 2007 Commending the Town of Independence's annual Mountain Foliage Festival and Grand Privy Race. ---------- Patron-- Carrico ----------

WHEREAS, the citizens of the Town of Independence in Grayson County give their time and talents to promote and participate in the community's annual Mountain Foliage Festival in October, a celebration that features an unusual competitive event, and what is thought to be the only one of its kind in the Commonwealth, the Grand Privy Race; and

WHEREAS, former town manager Darrell Ward and his staff came up with the idea to hold the unique privy race to create interest and enthusiasm for the town's local fall festival; and

WHEREAS, the Independence Fine Arts Council organized the first Mountain Foliage Festival in 1982, and the annual event continued until 1986, when interest and participation waned; and

WHEREAS, in 1994, after an eight-year hiatus, the Historic 1908 Courthouse Foundation and the Grayson Business Association resurrected the Mountain Foliage Festival, and the Grand Privy Race began rolling again; and

WHEREAS, festivities usually include bluegrass and old-time music, dance, art, theatrical productions, pancake breakfast, food vendors, pumpkin pie contest, crafts, a wild pony sale, and a parade graced by the winner of the “Potty Princess Pageant”; but the highlight of Independence's Mountain Foliage Festival is the unique privy race down the streets of Independence and the crowning of the Grand Privy Champions; and

WHEREAS, contestants entering the Grand Privy Race construct an outhouse with wheels and a rigid pulling system, preferably out of wood; the rest of the assembly, decoration, and endorsements and advertising is left to the imagination of the six-member privy crew and, of course, helmets are required; and

WHEREAS, the 2006 Mountain Foliage Festival and Grand Privy Race, held October 13–14, was a huge success, and the annual event is a boon to the community, supporting local artisans and craftspersons, promoting area merchants, attracting new visitors to the area, as well as uniting the community and creating numerous fundraising opportunities for churches and civic groups; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Town of Independence, Virginia, the Home of the Grand Privy Race, and its outstanding annual Mountain Foliage Festival, which greatly benefits the community of Grayson County and the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Town of Independence Special Events Committee, on behalf of all of the festival's volunteers and sponsors, as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and best wishes for continued success.