FOOTLOOSE AT THE FESTIVAL

The 25th-annual Chisholm Trail Festival kicked off in downtown Newton Thursday night, with the Street Dance, family entertainment and the preliminary round of the Newton Idol singing competition.

The five finalists heading into Sunday’s Idol finals, and the songs they sang, are Adam Chamberlain, “Born to be Wild”; Tawna Mosiman, “Broken Wing”; Emily Pomeroy, “Where Did Our Love Go”; Braidyn Rucker, “I Wonder”; and Monica Sosa, “No te Pido Slores.”

Classic rock fans can get their fill tonight, as four groups from the Wichita area take to the stage in Athletic Park to entertain fans. The bands — RKO, Sharon Rush, Rain and F-5 — will perform from 6 p.m. to midnight.

At 7 p.m. today is the 14th-annual Road Rally, a scavenger hunt in vehicles.

Groups sign up by the car load, with a maximum of four people per vehicle. Participants collect clues to lead them to historical sites of Newton businesses. Participants may want to have someone on the team who is familiar with Newton and an old phone book.

Registration will start at 6:30 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Newton.

Saturday’s festivities kick off bright and early with the 5K Walk/Jog/Run from Newton Medical Center to the armory at Athletic Park. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. A shuttle will bus participants from the armory to Newton Medical Center from 6:30 to 7:15 a.m. Registrations will be accepted on race day.

Also Saturday will be the parade at 10:30 a.m. on Main Street. The parade will run north from Fifth Street to Eighth Street. Main Street will be blocked off in the morning for the parade.

Other daytime events include free swimming at the municipal pool, historical bus tours, old fashioned games, and Newton Cars in the Park car show. Food vendors will be available in the park throughout the weekend, and a dunk tank is slated to be open afternoons during the weekend.

Evening entertainment includes classic rock band Shagdaddy performing at 7 p.m., opening for ZZ Top tribute band Sharp Dressed Man, who will take the stage at 8 p.m. There will be a live auction at the intermission of Sharp Dressed Man, with sports tickets and other items to be sold.

The fireworks display will be at 10 p.m. Those in Athletic Park are asked to move to the Fischer Field football stadium, and parking will be limited in the area by First Street in Athletic Park because it is considered a “drop zone” for the fireworks ashes. In case of inclement weather, festival staff will attempt to reschedule for 10 p.m. Sunday evening in the same location.

An under-the-stars showing of “Support Your Local Gunfighter” will follow in the park.

A church service at 10 a.m. in the park will begin Sunday’s activities. Participants should be chairs or blankets for seating, as well as activities for children. The afternoon will feature more activities and contests, as well as the Summer Sunday Music in the Park festival from 2 to 10 p.m. in the park, with local and national acts taking the stage. National acts include Decypher Down, Building 429 and Superchick. Local acts scheduled include Salvador Lujano Jr., Ray Nicodemus and Maddijo.

The Newton Idol finals will be in the midst of the festival, with those successful in Thursday’s preliminary round performing at 5 p.m. for the crown. This is the fourth year of Newton Idol.

Also on the musical agenda is singer/songwriter Levi Gangi at 6 p.m. and Diamond Wranglers at 7 p.m., both in Military Park.

Today and Sunday, those with a Chisholm Trail Festival button can receive a $1 off adult admission to the historic Warkentin House, which will be open from 1 to 4:30 p.m. both days. Children get in free with a CTF button.

Buttons, required for admittance to the festival, can be purchased at the festival or local businesses. Adult buttons cost $4, and buttons for children ages 5 to 12 are $2. Children younger than 5 are free. All events are in Athletic Park unless otherwise noted.

For more information or to register for contests, visit the festival headquarter trailer near the west parking lot at Athletic Park. A complete schedule of events can be found at at the Kansan’s Web site at www.thekansan.com or the festival site at www.newtonctf.com.

Festival

schedule:

Today

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 (air-conditioned bus provided by Harvey County Interurban)

2 p.m. — Stick Horse Rodeo (Sponsor: Columbian Title). Children may bring their own stick horse; 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

7 p.m. — 18th Annual Road Rally — National Guard Armory (Sponsor: Green Thumb Lawn Care). Pre-register at 6:30 p.m. at the National Guard Armory

6 p.m. to midnight — Musical Bands RKO, Sharon Rush, Rain and F5

Saturday

Engine on Display at Fourth and Main streets

7:30 a.m. — 5K Walk/Jog/Run, Newton Medical Center to Athletic Park (Sponsors: The Newton Kansan, Newton Medical Center, First Bank, Newton Recreation Commission)

8 a.m. — “Newton Cars in the Park” Car Show (trophies at 3 p.m.)

9 a.m. — Cowboy Mounted Shooters

10:30 a.m. — Parade on Main Street from Fifth to Eighth streets

Noon — Horse Shoe Tournament (Sponsor: Hendrickson Chiropractic)

12:30 p.m. — Hot dog eating contest (Sponsor: Sports Grill and Bar)

1 to 5 p.m. — Free swimming at Athletic Park Municipal Pool (Sponsor: Newton Recreation Commission). Must have button to enter

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

1 to 6:30 p.m. — Old Fashioned Games (Sponsor: Hill Top Hereford)

1:30 p.m. — Tug of War Contest (Sponsor: Anytime Fitness)

3 p.m. — Lil’ Cowpoke Contest (Sponsor: Healthy Baby Boutique)

4 p.m. — Pickin’ in the Park/Acoustic Jam Session (Sponsor: Washburn Team; organized by Mike Flavin)

4:30 p.m. — Cow Chip Toss (Sponsor: Hill Top Hereford)

5:30 p.m. — Country Jamboree (bluegrass music)

6:45 p.m. — Color Guard; welcome by city/county officials

7 p.m. — Shagdaddy concert (Sponsor: Sunset Townhomes)

8 p.m. — Sharp Dressed Man concert

Intermission of Sharp Dressed Man — Live auction of sports tickets, other items

10 p.m. — “Stampede in the Sky” fireworks. Please move to the stadium

Following fireworks — Movie Under the Stars – “Support Your Local Gunfighter” (Sponsor: Chisholm Trail 8 in Newton). Free popcorn courtesy of Graber’s Ace Hardware

Sunday

10 a.m. — Community Church Service in the Park, at the gazebo north of the band shell (Organized by the Missional Church Network). In case of rain, will be at First Church of God Family Life Center

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

2 to 10 p.m. — Summer Sunday Music in the Park (Sponsor: Rob Britton and NextGen Productions, 90.7 WAY-FM, 99.1 K-Love, 105.7 KJIL, Little Caesars Pizza, The Oasis Bed and Breakfast, Campus Cottage Bed and Breakfast, Big Picture Media, The LaRue Companies)

2 p.m. — Ice Cream Social; served by Newton Police Department (Sponsor: Dairy Queen and Rent 1st)

2:30 p.m. — Emergency Response Team/K-9 Unit/HVCO Tactical Communication Vehicle

3 p.m. — Baby Crawl (Sponsor: Healthy Baby Boutique). Parents must have buttons

3:30 p.m. — Chili Cook-Off; $2 per tasting kit (Sponsor: Central Kansas Community Foundation)

4:45 p.m. — Color Guard; welcome by city/county officials; introduction of board

5 p.m. — Newton Idol Finals (Sponsor: Little Caesars Pizza)

6 p.m. — Levi Gangi concert at Military Park

7 p.m. — Diamond W Wranglers concert at Military Park