Fireworks, frog racing and fast eating highlight Independence Day in Dalton

Published 11:00 am Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Terry Smith and his family spent the extended holiday weekend attending various Fourth of July celebrations, but nothing matched the thrill of winning the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department’s first Independence Day frog race with Winston Croakhill on Monday.

“Fireworks and a frog racing championship, (what a) weekend,” Smith said with a smile. He plans to defend his title indefinitely, promising “we’ll do it until we don’t win.”

“Hopefully this was the first of many” Independence Day frog races, said Caitlin Sharpe, the Parks and Recreation Department director. “That was amazing.”

When Will Chappel, Parks and Recreation Department supervisor, worked in Statesboro, he observed that city’s frog race and suggested bringing something similar to Dalton for Independence Day, Sharpe said.

“We thought it could work here, and all these frogs are local, from Lakeshore Park.”

“We geared up, went out there, and got after it,” said Smith, who got Croakhill from the park Friday night, then two smaller frogs Sunday night. Smith understands caring for frogs, both from childhood experiences and time in Dalton State College’s biology program, and he planned to release all three frogs back into Lakeshore Park following the holiday race.

Smith wanted to participate in the contest in part because he watched a documentary about the annual frog jumping contest in California’s Calaveras County, which is inspired by Mark Twain’s short story “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” he said. “Those guys get really into it, and now I’ve got my own certified frog race champion” with Croakhill, a bullfrog 13 inches long who weighs 11 ounces.

Diesel Land is Dalton’s current undisputed burger eating champ, as he’s now won the Parks and Recreation Department’s Independence Day Krystal hamburger eating contest in consecutive years. Last year, nine burgers in two minutes landed him in a playoff, which he won in a walkover, and this year he plowed through 11 burgers to win outright in regulation, he said.

“I use tips and tricks from professional eaters on YouTube.”

He enjoys Krystal burgers as much — or more — than any food he’s eaten competitively, except for Moe’s burritos, he said.

“I ate four two-pound burritos in a little over nine minutes” once. He’ll try for a three-peat with the Krystal burgers next July, he said: “I’ll definitely be back.” Among those Land bested in the burger contest was Jimmy Taylor, who later won his own trophy in the Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut eating contest.

A friend challenged Taylor to the burger contest, and since he was already there, he figured he’d try the doughnut battle, too, he said. After eating nine burgers in two minutes and then eight doughnuts in the same time span, “I’m not going to be hungry no more today.” Taylor received more Krispy Kreme doughnuts as part of his prize, but “I think my (wife) will eat those,” he said. “I don’t usually eat a whole lot of sweets — and I’m full — but it was fun.”

Bryson Parada “could eat more,” said the rising sixth-grader at Hammond Creek Middle School who won the Krispy Kreme doughnut hole eating contest for ages 12 and under. “I had enough room left for even more” doughnut holes but couldn’t shove them into his mouth before time elapsed. Like Taylor, this was Parada’s first competitive eating contest, and he wanted to best a friend, who won last year’s contest with 18 doughnut holes.

Parada shattered that mark, polishing off 28 doughnut holes, seven clear of the closest pursuers, and he didn’t feel the least bit uncomfortable, he said.

“I was just trying to be positive” during the contest.

The celebration at Heritage Point Park included softball, a cornhole tournament, wrestling and the traditional fireworks display. There was also music, food vendors, inflatables and activities for attendees of all ages. Ximena Osegueda, 4, and Kaydence Kelly, who celebrated her 10th birthday on Tuesday, were named Little Miss Rec and Jr. Miss Rec, respectively.

“We just told her to be herself” during the pageant, said Kelly’s father, Nathan. “She’s naturally energetic and bubbly.”

Kelly, a student at Cedar Ridge Elementary School, has been a regular participant in this pageant, and she’d finished runner-up, but never in the top spot, said her mother Stephanie. “It’s very exciting to see her happy, and we’re excited” for her.