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For 22nd time, Tonganoxie Days to entertain city

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jun 6, 2007

Tonganoxie Days won’t be missing a beat this year.

Although the annual car show won’t be part of this year’s festivities at VFW Park, an antique tractor show will take its place Saturday.

And, a traveling firearm display from the National Park Service will be set up at the park, ensuring that the venue again will be one of the hot spots for this year’s festival, which is in its 22nd year in Tonganoxie.

Demonstrations at the firearms display are scheduled for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the VFW Post Home near VFW Park, while a Flag Day ceremony will take place at 11:45 a.m.

The summer festival again will offer arts and crafts with vendor booths lining Fourth Street downtown, while the Tonganoxie Historic Site, 201 Washington St., will be the hub for museum tours and the Sacred Heart Altar Society Quilt Show. New this year at the site will be a bridal display, sponsored by the United Methodist Women.

And at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds, the Kansas Miniature Horse Club Fun Show will continue throughout the day, while judging for the Leavenworth County State Barbecue Championships are slated to begin at noon Saturday.

Organizer Connie Torneden has been busy with preparations for the summer festival. She just hopes Mother Nature cooperates this weekend.

“That’s the only thing I don’t have much control over,” Torneden said. “Maybe we’ll do the Tonganoxie Split. We don’t care if it’s cloudy, as long as it’s dry.”

Downtown, Torneden is expecting roughly 100 vendors. That was her count Monday afternoon, up slightly from last year’s festival.

Friday kick-off

Tonganoxie Days, sponsored by the Tonganoxie Chamber of Commerce, actually gets under way Friday with the Miss Tonganoxie Days Pageant, sponsored by Star Struck Dance Center.

The pageant, which is open to girls ages infant to 19 years old, will start at 7 p.m. at Tonganoxie High School. For registration information, go online to starstruckdancecenter.com.

Also on Friday, preparation for the barbecue championships will begin at the fairgrounds.

Milestone Fun Run

The Friends of the Tonganoxie Library Fun Run will celebrate its 20th annual event with 10K and 5K races and a 5K walk. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. at the library. An in-depth story about the run can be found on page 1B of today’s edition.

Vendors will be available downtown from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., as will an art fair.

Additional attractions, including a moonwalk and miniature train rides will be set up downtown, with food vendors setting up shop there also.

The library won’t just be headquarters for the fun run. The inaugural pet pageant, sponsored by the Tonganoxie Library Teens, will be from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the library.

Music, music and more music

Intertwined among all of Saturday’s activities will be musical entertainment. The Happy Time Squares, a square dancing group, will have a square-dancing demonstration from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., while the White Shield Dancers will perform from 11 a.m. to noon and the Cowtown Cloggers from noon to 1:15 p.m. The Graves Talent dancers will perform from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., country music performer Stacie LuPardus will perform.

“She sent me a CD and I thought it sounded really good,” Torneden said. “I think she’s trying to get started and all that.”

Country singer ShyAnne Mailen, who is from Lawrence, will have a booth downtown and will perform as well. Finally, Allen McFarlane, the roving minstrel, will be performing throughout the day downtown.

Events will conclude with a Teen Night at Chieftain Park with Moonlight Hoops. Teens may stop by for an evening of basketball. Music will be played and soft drinks provided at the event, which is sponsored by the Tonganoxie Recreation Commission.