Chisholm Trail Festival begins today

The 25th-annual Chisholm Trail Festival officially begins tonight with events in the heart of Newton.

Newton Idol preliminaries will start at 7 p.m. at the Historic Fox Theatre downtown, with local and area hopefuls competing for a spot in Sunday’s Idol finals.

This is the fourth year the singing competition has been a part of Chisholm Trail Festival.

At the same time as Newton Idol, family fare will take to the streets with Puddles the Clown making balloon animals and Shalom Mennonite Church volunteers offering face paintings. The Azteca Dancers and Newton Performing Arts entertain from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. near Sixth and Main streets. Food vendors will be downtown beginning at 5 p.m.

The street dance will begin at 7 p.m. on Main Street, featuring the music of Larry Thompson and the Big Buckle Band, a country group from Hesston, and Wichita rock group Ten Day Wish. No button is required for admission.

The annual Cow Chip Hunt began Wednesday. Clues appear daily in The Newton Kansan; at Citizens State Bank, 2315 S. Kansas Ave.; the festival Web site at www.newtonctf.com; and the CTF headquarter trailer near the west parking lot in Athletic Park. On Saturday and Sunday, clues only will be available at the CTF headquarter trailer and on the Web site.

Hunting licenses are required and are available at Citizens State Bank and Newton Wal-Mart.

Hunting continues until the cow chip is found, but the deadline for a license is 6 p.m. Friday. The cow chip will be hidden on city-owned property and will not be buried, so there is no reason to dig, said Pandea Smith, festival board chairwoman. The chip may be somewhat hidden but will be visible and accessible.

The carnival at Athletic Park also has begun, with the carnival running through Sunday.

On Friday, the festival moves to Athletic Park and begins with a pie eating contest at 11:30 a.m. Other activities will be going on in the park throughout the day. A button is required for all those events.

Buttons may be purchased at local businesses or at the festival gates. Adult buttons are $4, children’s buttons are $2 for those ages 5 through 12. Those younger than 5 are free.

For a complete schedule of events, visit the Kansan Web site at www.thekansan.com or the Chisholm Trail Festival site at www.newtonctf.com. The festival headquarters trailer will be near the west parking lot in Athletic Park. Festival information and contest sign-up sheets are available there.

Today

5 p.m. — Vendors downtown.

7 p.m. — Newton Idol Preliminary at Fox Theatre (Sponsor: Little Caesars Pizza).

7 to 9 p.m. — Family entertainment, featuring Puddles the Clown, Newton Performing Arts and the Azteca Dancers.

9 to 11 p.m. — Street Dance on Main Street, with music by Larry Thompson and the Big Buckle Band and Ten Day Wish (A festival button is not required.).

Friday

11:30 a.m. — Pie eating contest (Sponsor: Heart to Heart Child Advocacy Center).

1 to 5 p.m. — Historical bus tours. Hourly tours leave from Athletic Park west lot (An air-conditioned bus will be provided by Harvey County Interurban.).

2 p.m. — Stick horse rodeo (Sponsor: Columbian Title). Children may bring their own stick horses; otherwise one will be provided for use by CTF.

3 p.m. — Turtle races at basketball courts (Sponsors: Krueger Insurance and Sonic).

4 p.m. — Watermelon feed served by Harvey County Sheriff’s Department.

4:30 p.m. — Watermelon seed spitting contest.

5:45 p.m. — Color Guard; welcome by city/county officials.