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07/31/2003 Archived Entry: "ELLSWORTH'S COWTOWN FESTIVAL"

ELLSWORTH'S COWTOWN FESTIVAL

Tomorrow afternoon the sidewalks of Ellsworth will undergo a transformation. Instead of the merchandise being in the stores, the merchants will set up tables on the sidewalk and haul a lot of it outside for the shoppers and browsers. There will be bargains galore as this is the time of year store keepers clean off the shelves to make way for new fall merchandise. You don't want to miss it. Never mind the heat.

The "official" opening for Cowtown coincides with a "Ya Better Eat it Fast Ice Cream Social" in Preisker Park. "The Old Time Band" from Great Bend will provide musical entertainment.

Saturday the planes will be flying overhead early in the morning as they vie for landing positions at Ellsworth International Airport where they will be treated to a fly-in breakfast. I suppose they will also be offering rides to anyone who would like one.

For those who are in good shape, there will be a five mile run/walk beginning at the VFW Hall. Separate entry fees are required for that. Contact Dan Winston at 785.472.4472 for details.

There is also a golf tournament with tee times at 8:00 and at 2:00. There is a separate entry fee for that too. Mark Cunningham is the one to call at 785.472.4236.

"The Best Present is the Past" (whatever!) is the parade theme this year and you can see all of it in action at 10:00 on Douglas Avenue. Yeah! We get to have parades downtown again now that the highway construction has been completed. Don and Pat Bender are the Grand Marshalls...and very much deserve that honor. Jim Gray, who was recently named to the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame in Dodge City, will be the Honorary Grand Marshall. He read about it in the paper, but someone forgot to tell him.

After the parade, you can pick your place to eat...the Senior Center, Paden's Place, Pizza Hut, Dairy Queen, Kwik Shop, Ampride, Crossroads, Gambino's, Methodist Church and KC's Cafe. Actually, those are the only places in town to eat unless you do the home-cookin' thing.

In the afternoon there is a horseshoe pitching tournament, free swimming, and stuff at the high school parking lot like a petting zoo and carousel rides. In the Commons there will be bingo and other events.

Butch is catering the BBQ from 5:00 to 7:00 in the Commons. Next door in the PAC there will be local entertainment. I was hoping for a contest as I have a ringer coming to town who probably would have been a sure winner. Tom Brown and Rowdy will be in the parking lot giving carriage rides.

At 7:30 “Steve Bowman in Concert” will perform in the PAC.

Admission for all of this is with a $5.00 Cowtown button. Children under 5 are free.