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Gunther Gebel-Williams was a famous circus performer and animal trainer, known for his work with big cats (primarily tigers) and elephants. After 11,697 performances with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth, Gebel-Williams went on a widely publicized Farewell Tour in 1989-1990, after deciding to retire from circus performing due to health issues.

Gunther Gebel-Williams has been called, “The most celebrated circus performer of his generation”. He first began working in circuses at the age of 13, when his mother took a job as a seamstress at a German circus called Circus Williams, after World War II. Gebel-Williams worked for Circus Williams for the next two decades. In 1968, Gebel-Williams agreed to bring his large animal act to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in the United States, where he became a true show business super-star. Gunther Gebel-Williams was well-known during his circus career for his talent and charisma in the ring. He appeared on numerous television shows and specials. After retiring from performing, Gebel-Williams continued to work for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey as Vice President of Animal Care. He died from a brain tumor in 2001.

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The Grover King Post 1115 VFW annual Labor Day Show is known as the location “where collectors collect” as it is a gunshow and also a fleamarket where one can buy antiques, coins, comics, clothes, toys, jewelry, collectables, crafts, and more. There are also food vendors and live music. Grover King Post 1115 is located in Hillsville, Virginia, and the Labor Day Show started in 1967 to raise funds after the first Post Home was destroyed in an accident. The festival celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017. This event is all weekend from Friday through Monday, with some setting up shop inside the FVW and others in one of the parking lots. The whole town of Hillsville also participates with yard sales outside of the space throughout town. This is a large event and drew over 500,000 visitors on Labor Day weekend 2019.

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Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in the U.S. every year on February 2nd where if a groundhog comes out and sees his shadow, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. It is also the title of a film from the 1990s starring Bill Murray which was mostly filmed in Woodstock, Illinois. Since the release of the movie, the town of Woodstock created a "Groundhog Days" committee to organize events each year to get tourists to return for Groundhog Day. These events have included woodcarving, an art contest, a dinner and dance, and free showings of the film, Groundhog Day.

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Great River Days Inc. is a non-profit run by volunteers which has been responsible for the Great River Days Festival in Muscatine, Iowa every summer for almost 60 years. At one point in its history a Great River Days pinback button served as the ticket into the event. In later years, the buttons became souvenirs instead of proof of payment to attend the festival. In 2017, It was announced that the festival would be discontinued due to cost and safety issues on the riverfront. 

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Davenport, California is situated on the coast of the Pacific Ocean and is famous for picturesque cliffs and bluffs.  Davenport is named for a whaling captain named John Pope Davenport and is home to Davenport Beach, American Abalone (a producer of California Red Abalone), and Davenport Jail which today serves as a local museum.  

Due to Davenport’s cliffs and bluffs, whales can be seen during their annual migration from Baja, Mexico to southeast Alaska. Female gray whales give birth in the south during the winter and make their way north along the coast with their offspring. These whales stick close to land to avoid predators and are easy to spot along this migration route.  Gray whales are protected by the International Whaling Commission and only a small number of these whales can be hunted each year.

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From June 22-24, 1926 a delegation of nearly 250 members of Sunday schools in the Illinois area convened for the 76th annual Illinois State Sunday School convention in Granite City, Illinois. The convention an others like it were being held in response to an increase in Sunday school programs in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which created a growing need for properly trained Sunday school teachers. The conventions were held as a way to attract and train teachers, as well as develop age-appropriate curriculum for students. Key issues that teachers and churches might be faced with were also addressed at these meetings.

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Established in 1903, Goods of Evanston is a framing gallery located in Evanston, Illinois. It offers a number of services, including canvas mounting, display cases, custom framing, glass replacement, and mirror repair.

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Mother's Day is an annual celebration of mothers and motherhood celebrated in the United States and in variations worldwide. Popular traditions include the mother's day brunch, gifts of flowers and chocolate, and, most notably, calling your mother!

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Garden of the Gods is a public park in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1971, Garden of the Gods features large vertical rock formations made of red, pink, and white sandstone and limestone. The park’s formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Visitors to Garden of the Gods park can see evidence of ancient seas, ancestral mountain ranges, sandy beaches, and great sand dune fields in the layers that make up the rock formations. Garden of the Gods park is a popular place for hiking, rock climbing, road and mountain biking, and horseback riding.

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