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McLouth BBQ Blowout, Tonganoxie Days next month

By Staff | May 28, 2008

Estuardo Garcia

Local chainsaw artist Russ Ehart, displays his latest work, an 8 1/2 foot tall metal sculpture of a wheat stalk May 20. Ehart, who is used to working with wood, said it took him about a week to finish the sculpture because he had to buy a lot of new tools so he could work with the new medium. The sculpture is for Stanley Itzen of Hillsboro. Another project Ehart has been working on is a chainsaw carvers competition that will be held at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds and will be a part of Tonganoxie Days. Ehart said he has about six carvers that are ready to participate. He has invited the carvers to bring pieces to sell and has arranged for all of the pieces made during the competition to be sold at an auction that will begin at 4 p.m. the same day.

Annual summer festivals in Tonganoxie and McLouth are almost here.

In McLouth, the annual McLouth BBQ Blowout will be held Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7 in McLouth. The Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event is still open to competitors. Online registration deadline is Monday.

Novice barbecue enthusiasts also may enter the backyard barbecue contest. Participants in the backyard division may not be on a KCBS team.

A carnival also will be part of the activities, as will concessions and vendors.

For more information, go to www.mclouthbbq.com.

In Tonganoxie, organizers are gearing up for another Tonganoxie Days festival.

The event begins Friday, June 13 with its own barbecue contest. The Leavenworth County State Championship Barbecue Cook-off will begin with set-up at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds that day. On June 14, a full day of events is scheduled, including a 10K/5K run and fun walk, art fair and quilt show, vendors, concessions, musical entertainment, the Miss Tonganoxie Beauty Pageant, a car and truck show, horse show, a Flag Day rifle salute at noon and a chainsaw carving competition.

For more information about Tonganoxie Days, go to www.tonganoxiedays.com.