Marion’s 27th community event offers something for everyone

By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

Marion’s Chingawassa Days festival will be Friday through Sunday.

The slate of activities for the festival, first offered in 1997, includes food, games, bands, races, a watermelon feed, a barbecue meal, an ice cream social, stage entertainment, a cornhole tournament, a church service, door prizes, a scavenger hunt, card games, wiener dog races, and stage entertainment.

A barbecue meal at 5:30 p.m. Friday will be followed by a 6 p.m. ice cream social.

That Hypnotist will take the stage at 6:30 p.m., and the Steel Skarecrow band will take over entertainment at 8:30 p.m.

Saturday will begin with a pancake feed. Other Saturday family events will include a fun run, disc golf, carnival games, a scavenger hunt, Texas hold ’em, Dinky Duck races, inflatables, face painting, lemon/lime pucker up, rock/paper/scissors, bingo, human battleship, rhino-size Jenga, wiener dog races, heads or tails game, and a watermelon feed.

A cornhole tournament at 11 a.m. Saturday has a $20 per team entry fee, with $1,500 in additional prize money to be awarded. Pre-registration on the Scoreholio app is required.

The PettyCash band will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. and be followed at 9 p.m. by Casey Donahew.

Sunday’s schedule includes a 10:30 a.m. church service featuring pro basketball player Garrett Stutz at the Performing Arts Center.

The park will be filled with 13 food vendors, including:

• Battered and Fried.
• Bill and Essie’s BBQ.
• Cappuccino Connection.
• Carlson’s barbecue.
• Cheese Panzee.
• Chubbs and Spuds.
• Fun-Tastic Concessions.
• Gambino’s Pizza.
• Level Up Nutrition.
• Salisbury Sweets.
• Tickled Pink.
• Torta Mary.
• Watts Cooking.
• Wagon Wheel Express.

Also in the park will be 14 merchandise vendors, including:

• Chisholm Trail District of K-state Research and Extension.
• D’zz Spot Reptarium Educational Center from Burns.
• Devrana.
• Joyful Z Designs.
• Krazy Bear Trading Post.
• Marion Historical Society.
• Mrs. C’s Christmas Shop.
• Renata’s Garden.
• Rockin O’Neill Farms.
• S&S Med Spa.
• Saved by Grace Jewelry.
• Stone Store Outfitters.
• Tailored Remodeling.
• Woodbridge Home Solutions.