Collinsville will celebrate its past while welcoming home familiar faces Saturday as Pioneer Day returns to downtown with a full afternoon and evening of music, a parade, car show, contests, family activities and a special look at the community’s history.
The annual celebration is set for Saturday, Sept. 19, on and around the historic downtown square, with activities beginning at 4 p.m. and continuing until 11 p.m.
This year’s Pioneer Day will feature two-time Winter Olympian and Collinsville native Kellie Delka as parade grand marshal, along with an evening music lineup culminating with Texas singer-songwriter James McMurtry.
The celebration officially begins at 4 p.m. with an opening ceremony featuring an invocation from the Rev. Frank Alegeria of Collinsville United Methodist Church, the National Anthem performed by Jesse Speer and a welcome from Collinsville Mayor Chase Guidera.
Collinsville Economic Development Corp. President Joseph Cartwright will also provide an EDC/IDC spotlight.
Vendor booths and the Nortex Communications Kidz Zone will open at the same time.
The Toad Suck Car Show will run from 4-7 p.m., with registration from 4-6 p.m. at the corner of Main and Hughes streets. Winners will be announced at 7 p.m. on the Holiday Chevrolet Main Stage.
Olympian comes home
One of this year’s most recognizable participants will be Collinsville native Kellie Delka, who will serve as grand marshal of the 5 p.m. parade down Main Street.
Delka, 38, grew up about 10 minutes outside Collinsville and attended Collinsville schools, where she was a cheerleader and pole vaulter before eventually finding her way to one of the Winter Olympics’ fastest sports — skeleton.
She has since represented Puerto Rico in two Winter Olympic Games.
Delka made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Games as one of two athletes representing Puerto Rico. She returned to the Olympics in 2026 at Milan-Cortina, this time as Puerto Rico’s lone athlete at the Winter Games.
Her second Olympic appearance brought increased attention from Puerto Rican media and another opportunity to pursue a goal that has driven her career — bringing the island its first Winter Olympic medal.
On Saturday, however, the international competitor will return to the streets where her athletic career began.
Parade participants will begin lining up at 4 p.m. along Pecan and Walnut streets, with judging at 4:45 p.m. The parade begins at 5 p.m. down Main Street.
Collinsville’s history on display
Pioneer Day’s connection to the community’s past will be especially visible this year with a pop-up museum presented by celebrate! Collinsville History Association.
The museum will be inside the Collinsville Community Center on the historic square from 3-9 p.m. and will feature historic hometown items, photographs and written accounts of Collinsville’s history.
Organizers are also encouraging residents and former residents to stop by, visit and share their own stories of the community.
The museum carries with it a Pioneer Day connection of its own.
celebrate! Collinsville History Association was founded as a nonprofit in 2016 by Deanna Green Acker, Shannon Goodman Roberts and Gigi Stephenson Cox after the Collinsville Chamber of Commerce invited the group to create a museum for Pioneer Day 10 years ago.
A decade later, the association will again use Pioneer Day to put pieces of Collinsville’s past in front of the people who are helping write its present.
Music fills Main Street
Live music will be a major part of the afternoon and evening, beginning with Backroad Anthem at 4:15 p.m. on the Holiday Chevrolet Main Stage.
The local connection runs through that performance as well. Backroad Anthem includes local talents Timber Johnson, Gauge Tompkins and Robby Denning.
The Collinsville High School band and cheerleaders are also scheduled to appear on the main stage, followed by Band of Faith at 6 p.m.
Pirate Jiu Jitsu will give a demonstration at 7:15 p.m.
The music shifts toward the night’s headliners at 8 p.m. when Austin Cunningham takes the stage.
Cunningham, a Texas singer-songwriter with decades of experience in the music industry, will open for James McMurtry, who is scheduled to perform at 9:30 p.m.
McMurtry has built a national following during a career spanning more than three decades, becoming known for detailed, character-driven songwriting rooted in the American landscape.
The pairing gives Pioneer Day an evening concert lineup grounded firmly in Texas songwriting.
Old favorites return
Traditional Pioneer Day activities will be scattered throughout downtown.
Baked goods can be dropped off from 1-3:35 p.m. at Manor on Main. Baking contest winners will be announced at 5:30 p.m. on the main stage, followed by the baked goods auction at 5:45 p.m. at Manor on Main.
A dunking booth will open in the Kidz Zone at 5:30 p.m., and bingo begins at 6:30 p.m. at Manor on Main.
This year, the Kidz Zone will include a Dino Dig where kids will be able to excavate toys and other free gifts.
There will also be free rides and a petting zoo.
Visitors will also have another attraction to watch along Stone Street, where a tree carving event will take place during the festival.
The demonstration will give Pioneer Day visitors a chance to watch the carving process unfold while adding another stop to the activities extending beyond the downtown square.
Downtown streets will close beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, with vendor setup scheduled from 1-4 p.m.
The festival will close at 11 p.m.