Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-22
DELIGHTED THOUSANDS
SEE CARNIVAL OPENING
All Streets Crowded During Twilight
Parade. While Hundreds Make
Merry ON Midway.
BABY SHOW STARTS TO-DAY
First Class Of Entrants Judged at 3
o'ClOck-Festival Shows New and
Entertaining-.iusp Opening
Encourages GrOttO Members.

tkltHmOnu nrSt carn1NaI during /;
decade opened last night in whirl Of
mcrrimcnt. with thousands of expect,
ant amusement seekers thronEinc tho
carnival lot. at broad and I.aurc
Streets. to which the SAINTS Grotto. No
30. Mystic order OF Yelled Prophets
of tho Enchanted Realm. have hrourh,
tho Con I. Kennedy shows for u week 5
STAY.
MI expectations Of the Grotto com
mittccmcn were broken 10y the Mum
her of thermometers who visited the
grounds last night. Tho midway
packed with the many mon. women
and children, was ablazc us soon rs
the sun went down. and from then on
until II o'clock tho crowd made merry
in way that is reminiscent OF the
old street carnival days and the more
recent state Fair. Nothing was lack
ing for their entertainment. and they
amused themselves TO the fullest
The formal opening of the festival !.
however. preceded tho throwing open
of tho grounds to the public. II vas
staged i'll the form Of !, Twilight Pa
rade which left the grounds shortly
after { O'Clock and returned after :,
tour or the principal streets II seemed
AS though all Richmond was cut To
witness tho parade. for Franklin. Grace
and broad Streets. tho principal streets
az
lined throughout the entire route.
Captain Sowcll and squad Of
mounted officers led tho procession. and
after them. their iifea and huclcs
sounding warning far ahead OF their
approach. came tho fife. drum and huElo
corps Of the Richmond BOY Scouts.
Popular airs. most OF them OF tho kind
that instinctivcly' cause ono 10 keep
military time with the music. brought
RI l,s. ,,-,l,.
while children tucEcd insstcntlv
tho hands OF elders in an effort 10 get
close that a better view of the clowns
and performers might he obtained.
ENTHUSIASM or TIIHONG>
INDICATES GREAT SUCCESS
The SAINTS Grotto drill team. in
fezzcs and white fianncls. keeping per-
feet time 10 the music. brought con-
siderable applause from the thronSs
along the streets. Following them was
the big Kennedy band leading the
second division Of the parade in which
we're grouped most OF the performers
i'm the Kennedy shows. Miss ESsic FAY
riding her beautiful and highly schooled
horse Arabia was next III line. and
then came the freaks. ali the other
performers, more members of the
grotto. the animals and the automo-
bile which is 10 be given away Satur-
NoS
Interest manifested in tho parade
and the carnival on the opening night
leads members of tie C;rotto and Con
I. Kennedy. owner Of the shows. 10
believe the week Will he a gala one
indeed and success from every stand
point. Carefully investigated though
they were before being brought here by
the SAINTS Grotto. the Kennedy shows
are said 10 be superior even TO the
t...s II,
fore them. As seen last night. there
was nothing TO condemn and a great
deal 10 commend in them.
One OF the most conspicuous features
is 'he evident possession OF what the
younger set would term class There
is not tawdry dress. Il soilcd suit or
furnished bit OF decoration in the
OUTFIT. All apparently is new we'll
kept and giving excellent indication of
the shows themselves.
All OF the shows were ready 70, the
opening last night and everything on
the grounds started without q hitch.
Miss Essie Fay and her wonderful
horse Arabia captured children and
Erown-ups alike. The Miracle a show
far out OF the ordinary in a carnival
setting, provided entcrta inment Of u
high class, and the Garden of Allah
proved an attraction tina, won we'll
deserved popularity from the start
The children could hardly contain
themselves once they had GOT within
the tent where Barney Oldi.ld Jr. tn.
champion monkey automobile racer
was performing. and their elders lis
tened with rapt attention TO Captain
Frank Taylor's lecture on the subIna =
rinc. HI demonstrated the actual per
tornanc" Of sinking steamer Will!
tho SnTrIallN a1 lale
In this show. Hnd after the perform :
"nce. was Piled with questions on dc
'ats Of the operations. The Pccr
snow drew crowds Throughout; the
evening. and DiXieland. with its old
time plantation singers was well pa :
troniZed.
SENSATIONAL. FREE ACTS
OVER MIDWAY AI'pLAt DED
tn" mntordrome also attracted many
who marvcled at the skill Of the Young
women driving the motorcycles around