Rhea Heritage officials named parade grand marshals

The world-famous Scopes Trial of 1925 earned Rhea County its place in the history books, so it is fitting that the county’s largest annual gathering, the Tennessee Strawberry Festival, honors the Scopes Trial during the trial’s 100th anniversary. 

The theme for the 78th Strawberry Festival is “The Great Berry Debate,” alluding to the historic debate between William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow at the trial. 

The Dayton Chamber of Commerce, organizer of the Strawberry Festival, has also honored the Rhea Heritage Preservation Foundation, organizer of the Scopes Trial Festival celebrated since 1988. Rick Dye, president of the foundation, and Tom Davis, vice president, have assisted with the Scopes Trial Festival since 1993 and 1992 respectively. 

Dye and Davis, who have served on the foundation board since it was founded in 2016, were recently named co-grand marshals of the May 10 Strawberry Festival Parade by the festival coordinating committee.

In 2016, Rhea Heritage Preservation Foundation picked up the responsibility for producing the Scopes Trial Play and Heritage Days celebration each July, and is playing a major role in planning activities for the Scopes Centennial this July. Since then, RHPF has added the Nokian Tyres Summer Nights concerts in June, and holiday “radio theatre” dramas including War of the Worlds and It’s a Wonderful Life as part of PumpkinFest and Christmas at the Courthouse. 

“Our goal is to help our community and the visitors who come here understand that Rhea County has a heritage we should be proud of and a great future building on our past,” said RHPF President Rick Dye.