by David Colburn, New Editor, Marion County Record

My eventful trips to Ramona have always been at night. Years ago I decided the quaint U.S. Post Office, outlined in white lights at Christmas, was a “must view” classic Americana, and this storm-chaser believes some of the best lightning pictures in the county are to be had in and around this little town.

Ramona in daylight, on the Fourth of July, was a completely different kind of eventful. Classic Americana with a redneck twist. Or better still, a redneck half-nelson with a full-body slam, topped off with a folding chair smackdown.

Face painting, races, pie-eating contests, firehose tug-of-war over a mud pit—other town celebrations have those things. But none I’ve been to has ever pulled so many together as Redneck in Ramona. Given a reason to celebrate, the folk of Ramona jumped into it whole hog.

While “redneck” somehow works its way into everything, the parade stands apart from all the rest—a solemn, patriotic opening that’s quickly overwhelmed by the most gosh-darned, knee-slappin’, side-splittin display of “redneck” you’d ever want to see.

City life never prepared me for something like this. I fear it may take months to recover from the spectacle of the Redneck Ballet, performing the Buttcracker Suite.

And I can’t wait to go back next year.

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To see the Buttcracker Suite - a Trailer-Park Ballet - click here.

(Don't be shocked . . . it's all plastic!) Photo courtesy of the Marion County Record