There’s plenty to do in and around Emporia this weekend.
Among the offerings this weekend include the annual Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow Fiesta. Everyone is welcome to the Fiesta, which features a parade, activities, lots of food and contests. This year’s event will be Sept. 13. The event will kick off at 11 a.m. with a parade at the corner of South West Street and West South Avenue. Activities will follow the parade. Fiesta activities include royalty coronation, Mariachi Los Reyes from Wichita; Emporia Arts Council Kids Corner; Azteca Folklorico Dance Troupe from Newton and the Emporia High School junior varsity dance team. Contests include a jalapeno eating contest, best decorated float, tortilla toss, grito and kids’ Twinkie eating contest. Music will be by Futuro Musical. There also will be lots of food, music and merchandise vendors.
Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow, sponsors of the event, established a scholarship program for Hispanic graduating seniors at Emporia High School.
Downtown Emporia will be filled with vendors stretching along Commercial Street from Third to 12th avenues beginning at 7 a.m. and running until 4 p.m. Saturday.
The event is modeled after a flea market, but is also meant to showcase downtown Emporia. Among the offerings will be food vendors, arts and crafts, knickknacks and other unique items and anything people might want to drag out of their closets and offer for sale. Businesses will have booths at the market that will offer sale items and informational materials.
Along with the market will be the Chalk Fest sponsored by the Emporia Arts Council in the 900 block of Commercial Street. Also running in conjunction with the market will be the Car & Motorcycle Show, with judging to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The show has been expanded this year to include three-wheeled hot rods, or trikes.
The Seventh Annual Wildlife Appreciation and Conservation Days event at Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply will run today and Saturday at the store, 2611 W. Highway 50.
Local conservation groups will be present at the event including Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation, Lyon County Soil Conservation, Kansas Hunter Education, Camp Alexander, Kansas Fur Harvesters and others.
Outside the store, there will be grill demos on Weber grills, a Horizon Smoker and Traeger Grill. A hot dog stand will be stocked with Fanestil hot dogs and beef and beans. All proceeds from the stand are divided among the local conservation groups. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will bring a laser shooting booth where shooters can test their skills on game and targets.
There will be prize drawings during the days with the grand prize being a Savage model 16 .243 rifle. Grandpa Pokey will make balloon animals. New this year will be a marshmallow blaster shooting range.
Other events this weekend include:
• K-177 Bluegrass Pickin’, 7:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Emma Chase Cafe, Cottonwood Falls.
• God Inspires art exhibit, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Emporia Arts Council, 618 Mechanic.
• Emporia Farmers Market, 8 a.m., Seventh Avenue and Market Street. This week’s market will feature a breakfast made by members of the Emporia Area Local Food Network. Several dishes will be available to satisfy morning munchies, including local fruit salad, biscuits & gravy (2 versions: vegetarian and with local pastured pork), fair trade coffee, and much more. Proceeds will benefit the Emporia Area Local Food Network, which strives to promote the production, processing, preservation, and consumption of local foods.
• Tallgrass Express String Band Concert, 7 p.m., Emma Chase in Cottonwood Falls.
• Annie Wilson and the Tallgrass Express, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Emma Chase Cafe, 317 Broadway St.
• 12th Annual Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow Fiesta, 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Las Casitas Park, South Arundel at South Avenue.
• Sunday on the Porch, 2 p.m., William Allen White State Historical Site, 927 Exchange St.