No one let a little rain, well, rain on the parade that was “Collinsville Day” Saturday. The annual event held on the first Saturday of every May helps fund its sponsor, the Collinsville Fire Department.

The day included a car show, a live band, fresh food and many, many things to buy – from catfish plates through the fire department to flavored teas, colorful decor and two sizes of jelly and jams.

Philadelphia nurse Gig Spivey was there selling her handmade crochet items. This was her first time setting up a tent there with her wares.

“I’m a nurse and I just crochet at my desk sometimes,” Spivey said of her creative hobby that led to her “Intertwinings by Gigi” business. “My other coworker likes to do it, so I thought to try it again. I did it in my youth, but I thought it was time to try it out again.”

In only six months since taking up her crochet needle again, Spivey’s items included Easter baskets filled with intricately patterned goodies, little puffy bees with cloud-like wings and homemade beaded jewelry.

“There’s a lot of nice people out here,” she said of the people she met that day.

On most Saturdays, Deborah Shortridge and her husband Denny find themselves parked in the Meridian Walmart-Lowe’s parking lot, selling their boiled peanuts, jams and seasonal tomatoes, relishes and peas. But Saturday they headed to Collinsville for the fundraiser event and included a bunch of handmade items, including hair scrunchies, keychains and purses.

“Nice folks,” said a smiling Deborah of the people drifting by.

The couple said they had a great time at the 2025 Collinsville Day, even if it rained a bit in the morning. The sun later on made it worth the effort.