PRAIRIE GROVE -- A new square dance group in the competitive showcase this year has an appropriate name, One and Done.
The group was put together by senior Clay Battles, who has been square dancing since he was 4 years old. Except for Battles and one other member, Kaden Selph, all the others in the competitive group have not square danced before at the Clothesline Fair.
So One and Done, for Battles, means this is his last year to participate in the annual tradition.
The name is also appropriate for Craig Battles, Clay's father. Craig Battles has organized the square dancing portion of the Clothesline Fair for many years but also has watched anxiously from the sidelines as a father.
Clay's final year brings the end to an era for his father. After this year, Craig Battles also is "One and Done," as Clay is his youngest and last child to participate in the event.
Battles said all four of his kids have been involved in school activities, but square dancing is an activity that "cements you in the fabric of the community. You're taking part in something that's gone on 60 years."
It's also a source of pride for his children, he said. They put in a lot of extra hours, many times practicing until 11:30 at night after football, cheer or a job.
"It doesn't last long. We're done and then on to whatever. But there is quite a sense of pride there. It means that little bit more to Prairie Grove kids," he said.
For 2021, a record number of groups are participating in the exhibition and the competitive square dancing shows. Battle said he's looked back to the records since 2005, and the trend has always been to increase some each year.
This year, there are 64 younger, exhibition groups and 18 older, competitive groups.
The square dances start at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Monday for the younger kids and the competition starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Monday. The champions will be named Monday night after scores are calculated following the last performance.
Prairie Grove Lions Club hosts the square dances and several years ago, formally named it the Peggy Parks Square Dance Competition, in memory of Peggy Parks who is believed to have started the tradition as a Prairie Grove teacher.
Craig Battles said the Lions Club hopes by next year to have a large trophy that will be used to display the names of every square dance group that has won the competition.
Clay Battles has not won but is hoping his new group will be able to compete for the title this year. The group started practicing in June and has been practicing three to four times each week from about 9:15-11:15 p.m.
The group has football players, basketball players, cheerleaders and dance team members, so they all were able to catch on fairly quickly, Clay said. One and Done is dancing to "Freight Train."
Clay said he has danced every year because it's a fun activity to do with his friends.
"It's so unique what we do," Clay said. "It's something cool we do that no one else gets to do."
Along with dancing, Clay also is calling for two groups, a younger, exhibition group called Buckles and Bows, and a competitive group, Sparkles and Spurs.
Other parents in Prairie Grove also are excited for their children to be involved in square dance at the Clothesline Fair.
Jill McLean grew up in Prairie Grove. She watched her friends square dance but did not participate herself.
She said she's making sure her own children are able to experience the tradition.
"There's nothing like Prairie Grove on Labor Day weekend," McLean said.
Besides just being fun, participating with a group helps children learn to listen and cooperate with others, McLean said.
"You have to be brave and courageous to dance in front of all the people here," she added.
Andrea Wilson of Prairie Grove said she and her husband visited Prairie Grove over the Clothesline Fair weekend, looking for a place to live in Northwest Arkansas for their move from Jonesboro.
After seeing the festival, Wilson said her thought was, "This is the cutest little town."
She said she wanted her children involved in square dancing because of the tradition.
"Neither one of us had anything like this growing up," Wilson said.
Craig Battles said the Lions Club is reminding everyone about covid-19 protocols and asking spectators to social distance as much as possible.
If anyone shows any signs of illness, or if they have tested positive for covid-19 within the two weeks immediately prior to the Clothesline Fair, or has had known contact with someone who has tested positive for covid-19 within that time frame, they are asked to not attend the Clothesline Fair as a vendor, guest or volunteer.
