Rain and Shine, Dayton Days Parade and Rodeo captures smiles

Cowboy Levi Walters was the first Mixed Bronc Rider out of the chute to open Friday night's Dayton Days-Columbia County Fair Association Rodeo, and stayed on this snorting bronc the full eight seconds, thrilling the crowd that was a bit thin, no thanks to Mother Nature and her Friday afternoon showers. A full card went off in spite of the sprinkling skies, and Saturday broke with blue skies and puffy white clouds interspersed with sunshine for the Chamber of Commerce's Dayton Days Parade on Dayton's historic Main Street. The beautiful morning brought not only a 30-plus entry parade to town, but all sorts of excited children (right) who reveled in the excitement of the day. After the parade, showers rolled in but subsided just ahead of Saturday afternoon's 4 o'clock rodeo start time, and an even larger crowd gathered in the Fairgrounds Grandstands for more exciting rodeo action. More pictures on page 6.