I don’t think this is what we think of as a hayride – an evening outing for mostly young people and a few chaperons; the intergenerational nature of the riders, their dress, the two hispanic musicians, and the time of day, all suggest an early departure for a local party or celebration. It makes sense to wagonpool, it’s more congenial and the hay wagon is an excellent choice, besides, it saves on fuel (someone please give those poor beasts an extra measure of oats, they look like they could use it!)
Imagine living before cameras, when remembering an event, a person, a particular time in life, was dependent only on your mind which is not conditioned to preserving intricate details (unless perhaps you are a writer or artist whose brain circuitry is hooked up a bit differently).
I think this large print (in extremely dirty condition, the rule rather than the exception) is likely Texas or Southwestern. The dress is late 1880s or 1890s, though fashion may linger a while in rural society. The musicians’ instruments are fiddle and squeezebox, so get ready for some dancing!
