Editor’s note:  The following article first ran in the Bulletin in 2008 as the area headed for the 30th anniversary of the Children’s Theater Festival – aka Super Saturday. Now as the 35th Super Saturday approaches on March 16, how many people remember that it almost never happened?  

The launching committee had applied for several grants – not an easy challenge for something that was no more than a hope with no track record.  Turns out every single grant applied for was turned down.

Without the funds to book performers, there would be no beginning Children’s Theater Festival.

Organizer Joe Wray was at a loss. One day he passed Franklin McKaig in the halls of Tryon High School, and when McKaig asked the standard “How’s it going?” Wray replied sadly, “I guess we won’t have Super Saturday.”

McKaig replied, “What’s that?”

Wray explained: a day of theatre for children hosted in Tryon. McKaig asked how much they needed. Wray replied, “$4,500.”