Staff writer
Familiar acts will open entertainment for Florence’s 76th annual Labor Day celebration Saturday with Cottonwood River Band at 5 p.m. and Tallgrass Express String Band at 7 p.m.
Tallgrass Express features guitarist Annie Wilson, who was named Flint Hills Balladeer by Gov. Sam Brownback in January.
Cottonwood River Band’s performance coincides with the opening of a portable petting zoo at a vacant lot half a block east of Main St. on 5th. The petting zoo will also include horse rides.
Those wearing 1860s vintage attire or a 2013 Labor Day T-shirt will receive free homemade ice cream before and during the 1860s vintage baseball game at 6 p.m. Sunday. Ice cream is 50 cents otherwise.
The Chase County Preservationists will play the Harvey Boys in the game, played under 1860s rules. Concessions will be available. The game will be played at 6:30 p.m. at the baseball field at 9th and Barker Sts.
Labor Day Committee chairman Melvin Honeyfield said a category for best classic car and truck was added to the Labor Day parade, which will be at 11 a.m. Monday.
The parade’s theme is celebrating 125 years of volunteer service, featuring a “Pink Heals” fire truck parked by the library, honoring cancer patients and survivors.
Schedule
Saturday
- Florence city-wide garage sales, 8 a.m.
- Farmers market, Moses Shane Park, 8 a.m.
- Bake sale, Fourth and Main, 8 a.m.
- “King of the Hill” soap box derby, 6th St. hill, 10 a.m.
- Cottonwood River Band, Main St. stage, 5 p.m.
- Tallgrass Express String Band, Main St. stage, 7 p.m.
- Portable Pets petting zoo and Horse rides, ½ block E. of Main St., 5 to 7 p.m.
- Face painting, glitter tattoos, henna tattoos, caricature drawings, 5 to 8 p.m.
- Meal served by advance lodge #114 AF & AM, Masonic Lodge on Main St., 5 p.m.
- Street dance featuring the Riker Band, Main St. stage, 9 p.m.
Sunday
- Community Church service, Grandview park, 11 a.m.
- Potluck lunch, Grandview park, noon
- Sidewalk Chalk art, Main St., 2 p.m.
- Kids’ bike decorating workshop, corner of 6th and Main St., 3 p.m.
- Ice cream social, Florence baseball field, Ninth and Barker, 6 p.m.
- 1860’s Vintage baseball game, Florence baseball field, Ninth and Barker, 6:30 p.m.
- Fireworks at Dusk.
Monday
- Food served by Advance Lodge #114 AF & AM, 7:30 a.m. thru parade
- Labor Day 5K Run, start and finish lines at the gymnasium, 400 W. Seventh St., 8 a.m.
- Bryan Harper Memorial horseshoe pitching contest, 8 a.m.
- Fine arts show, ambulance building, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Flag raising, veterans park, 10:30 a.m.
- Parade on Main St., 11 a.m.
- Button drawing and drawing for flat screen tv, following parade, Kids’ games/turtle races, ½ block E. of Main on Fifth St.
- FFA “Barnyard” Olympics, Main St., 1:30 p.m.
- Cow chip bingo, ½ block E. of Main St. on Fifth St., 2:30 p.m.
- All 3 days — Mountain men rendezvous, south of the railroad tracks, turn east. Events all weekend.