×
×
homepage logo

Weekend festival

By Shawn Linenberger - | Jun 11, 2003

It will be hard for anyone to say there’s nothing to do in Tonganoxie when the weekend rolls around.

The city’s annual Tonganoxie Days actually kicks off with a beauty pageant Friday at Annie’s Country Jubilee, the former Glen’s Opry.

¢ Tonganoxie will display its own artistic-themed project with park benches throughout the community.

¢ All benches except for “An American Flag Unfurled” will be auctioned off during Saturday’s auction.

¢ These are the names of the benches, followed by the artists and where the benches are: “Meadow of Fairies,” by Jenny Brown and Brianna Deaver, at First State Bank, downtown; “Tie Dye,” by Tricia Ridenour, Ashley Law and Krystal Brumbaugh, at city pool; “Harley Davidson, Seats Four,” by Ashley McGhee, Holly Wood and Cody Elmer, Badd Jack’s; “Tribute to Bettie Page,” Shannon Aye and Shadoe Barton, at Bichelmeyer’s Steakhouse; and “An American Flag Unfurled,” by Cristen Bray and Sarah Holliday, at the library.

Saturday, though, is when the event really starts to hop.

With 63 vendors along Fourth Street, the annual festival has extended another block east between Delaware and Main streets. Vendors originally were expected to run two blocks along Fourth Street, between Green and Delaware streets.

“I think it will work out just fine,” said festival coordinator Connie Torneden.

The festival also will include a list of traditional events — an auction, a car and motorcycle show, children’s games and 10K and 5K runs, but this year also features the opening of the Tonganoxie Historical Site, a 3-on-3 basketball tournament at Chieftain Park and a fly-over ceremony at VFW Park.

“I think with the Flag Day festivities, I think that’s going to add a lot,” Torneden said. “And of course the grand opening of the Historical Society museum — that’s going to be really nice.”

In another new spin, an art show is planned between Badd Jack’s Restaurant and Dr. Dean’s Optometry office. Torneden said that, in addition, Susan Weston plans to have an area available for children to make and take art projects.

At the auction, which will be conducted by Kansas Auctioneer Association members, between 50 and 60 items from association members will be sold, as well as items that were donated locally.

Tickets for the Indy Racing League event July 4-6 at Kansas Speedway will be auctioned off, too. When Jim Morey went to pick up the tickets recently at the speedway, he intended to get tickets for the qualifying race on July 4. When he arrived, those tickets weren’t available, so he was given two tickets to the actual races July 5-6.

Torneden was excited about the upgrade.

“People can bid on those, so that will be something cool,” she said.