“Oh no Momma! Someone stole the Namboree!” exclaimed the young daughter of one of The Mirror’s employees Monday morning, when she saw the carnival was gone from the square.

The 72nd Yamboree, held Wednesday through Saturday last week, was a resounding success, despite rainy weather Wednesday which kept the carnival on the square from opening, and gloomy weather which impacted crowd size part of Thursday. By Friday, bright, sunny, cool, crisp fall weather arrived and continued through Saturday, providing a picture-perfect Yamboree.

Large crowds watched the School Parade on Friday, and the courthouse square was packed Saturday for the Queen’s Parade.

There were long lines at food vendors and for rides.

The income from the carnival was down about 10 percent from its high last year, Gilmer Area Chamber Executive Director Joan Small said. (The Yamboree Association gets a share of the carnival proceeds.)

“But we are just glad to get what we got,” Mrs. Small said, citing the bad economy.

Gilmer Police Investigator Roxanne Warren said the Yamboree was peaceful, without any trouble even at the Barn Dances.

“There was one minor altercation” that Sgt. Warren said she heard about, but she said she didn’t think an arrest was made there.

About 250 attended the Friday night Barn Dance, which featured Latin music. It was the second year for the Friday dance.

At the traditional Saturday night Barn Dance, about 1,500 armbands were given out to those who went inside the Trinity Street Gym, where the Barn Dances are held. That didn’t count the crowds who typically gather outside.