The Wayne Chicken Show is an annual free, family-oriented event held in Wayne, Nebraska, every second Saturday in July. It has been put on by the Wayne Area Chamber of Commerce since 1981.
Details Friday The movement kicks off on the afternoon of the second Friday in July. A section of Main Street in Wayne closes to traffic, allowing for a street fair of sorts, called Henoween. Food stands, craft vendors, and kids' games are set up along the block. Activities that take place include the World's Largest Chicken Dance, put on by Wayne State College's cheerleading squad; the Cement Chicken Auction; a hot wing eating contest; a fireworks show put on by the Wayne Jaycees; and a teen dance.http://www.chickenshow.com/events/ April 11, 2012
Saturday The Chicken Show lasts virtually all day, but the parade kicks off the main event. The parade includes over 100 entries and marches up Main Street to Bressler Park, where most of the activities are held. In the afternoon, the Wayne Rotary Club serves grilled chicken. Activities include a chicken-flying contest; a cluck-off; an egg toss; an egg drop; a hard-boiled egg-eating contest; a chicken hat contest; and a rubber chicken throwing contest.
Sunday Main events include a car show and a poker run.http://www.chickenshow.com/events/ April 11, 2012
History The Wayne Chicken Show was founded in 1981 by the Wayne Regional Arts Council. They chose chickens as the main theme for three reasons: the humor associated with chickens, the general knowledge of chickens in the rural community, and the easy art ideas that could come from chickens. Themes were added to the event starting in 1984 with the theme "Break Dancing," but they did not become a regular addition until 1997. The Friday events, now known as "Henoween," were added in 1991.https://cityofwayne.org/index.aspx?nid=455 April 11, 2012http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=386088022745 April 11, 2012
The National Cluck-Off This is a contest of who can do the best chicken imitation. Requirements of the contest are that you must be heard throughout the park, you must make chicken sounds and actions, and it must last 15 seconds.http://www.chickenshow.com/events/contests/ April 11, 2012 Contestants from all over the country have participated in it and been nationally recognized; John Agler appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1986. One winner, Joel Vavra, from Wilbur, Nebraska, was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and a nine-time winner, Del Hampton, was from Arkansas.http://www.americanprofile.com/articles/wayne-chicken-show-2/ April 11, 2012 Daniel Magruder of Omaha holds two 13-and-under titles, and J.T. Hobbs of Hoskins holds nine. Larry Pankoke of Linccoln has won one title.
Awards/Features YearAward/Feature1996Nebraska Outstanding Tourism Award1999Featured in the Library of Congress20052 NE State Pinnacle Awards, NE Festivals and Events, Inc.2010#4 on list of TripAdvisor's "America's Top 10 Wackiest Summer Events"
List of themes YearTheme1984Break Dancing1985The 101 Year-old Chicken1986Best West Cowboy Chicken1987Chickens in the movies1989Chickens in Space1990Rock and Roll1991Chickens in Song1992Return to the Nest1994Poultry in Motion1997You Gotta Be Yolkin'1998Under Coop-struction1999Just Fowlin' Around2000Y2Kluck2001Higher Egg-ucation200222 Hen Salute2003Wayne America's World2004Lewis & Cluck: Exploring Wayne, Nebraska2005Cheers for 25 Years2006Our Coop Supports the Troops2007Clucknology2008Let the Cluckin' Games Begin2009O'Pioneer Chickens Roosting in Wayne2010Wingin' It for 30 Years2011Chicken and a Movie2012Nightmare on Egg Street201434 Years of Cluck Dynasty2015#chickenselfie20152016Cluck and Roll2017Good Life…Great Place to Roost2018Welcome to Fabulous Wayne America2019Chickens Around the World202040 Years of Egg-cellence2021Wayne America’s Chicken Vacation2022Chicken’s Guide to the Galaxy: The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Egg-vrything2023Eggscaliber: Are you worthy to pluck the sword from the egg?2024American Pluckers: Aged to Perf-EGG-Tion2025Totally Rad Chicken Show
Notes
References City of Wayne. (2012). <http://www.chickenshow.com/> Retrieved April 11, 2012. The Associated Press. (2010). <http://m.journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/article_c9465034-805a-11df-a750-001cc4c002e0.html> Retrieved April 11, 2012. City of Wayne. (2010). <http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=386088022745> Retrieved April 11, 2012. City of Wayne. (2012). <https://cityofwayne.org/index.aspx?nid=455> Retrieved April 11, 2012. neumannkn. (2008). <http://www.americanprofile.com/articles/wayne-chicken-show-2/> Retrieved April 11, 2012. TripAdvisor®. (2010). <http://tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-i2125-c1-Press_Releases.htm> Retrieved April 11, 2012.