Family Festival is Saturday
Whether you've got a hankering for some Hillsboro sausage, want to hear some local tunes played live, or have the desire — for some strange reason — to get coated head to toe with mud, there's only one place you should be this weekend.
The Hillsboro Family Festival.
Formerly known as the Hillsboro Folk Festival, this cornucopia of events is making its second round with its new name. It comes along with some brand-spanking-new activities as well as some old favorites.
The fun starts this Saturday and spreads across the museum complex, fairgrounds, and sports complex. A $2 button gets you in the gate.
The day is being sponsored by the Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Hillsboro Historical Society.
The tried-and-true favorites will still be around — like demonstrations of historic activities near the Adobe House.
Some of this year's unique events include a sausage cookoff and a baby contest.
You can cook your sausage at home, but make sure you bring the concoctions to the commercial building by 2 p.m., said Megan Kilgore, executive director of the Hillsboro Management Board. She encourages participants to bring their own grills to keep the dishes warm.
A panel of judges will choose the tastiest treats, and samples will also be available for the palates of the public, she said. Sign-up is open until 2 p.m.
Another newcomer is the baby contest, which has two categories for your cuties: zero to six months and six to 12 months. Clad just in diapers, the youngsters will strut their stuff for a panel of judges. Check-in time is 9:15 a.m., and the show starts at 10.
But if you're looking for something a little more athletic this Saturday, have no fear — the Family Festival has plenty of options.
And one option is, by far, the muddiest.
2003 marks the first annual Family Festival mud volleyball tournament. Competition takes place in a pit near the rodeo arena, Kilgore said.
As of Monday, four teams had registered, but she'd like to have eight total. Each team needs at least six players, and games will be played regulation-style up to 15 points.
Those players need to include females, because one of this year's regulations stipulates that two women must be on the court at all times, Kilgore said.
The cost is $30 per team. Brackets will be drawn up Saturday morning, after check-in time at 8 a.m. Games will begin at 8:30 and should run all day. Teams are guaranteed two games each, and the winning team wins its fee money back plus T-shirts.
But wait — there's more mud to be had.
Making its second appearance at the festival is the dirt bike competition.
Local volunteers are carting out and shaping mounds of dirt for a BMX course in the parking lot just west of the sports complex baseball diamonds.
The fee is $10 per rider, according to Ron Funk, event organizer. There will be different courses for different age groups, with higher hills for the more experienced riders.
Participants will be timed on how fast they complete their given course, with awards going to those who place. The event starts at 4 p.m., and personnel will be stationed there to accept entry fees.
If you're looking for exercise of a more traditional nature, enter the 5K (3.1 mile) run/walk event, which starts at 8 a.m. at the city pool.
The entry fee is $14 per person, which includes a race T-shirt. You can register on race day between 7 and 7:45 a.m.
This year's race is different for two reason: first, it's five kilometers or 3.1 miles long. In previous years, participants could choose to run or walk two miles (3.2 kilometers) or 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
Also, the race takes place entirely in town this year, not on 13-mile road, Wiens said.
The course will wend around town up Birch Street to Grand, over to A, then past Trinity Mennonite Church, the America Legion building, the sports complex, the golf course shed, golf hole No. 9, and back to the swimming pool.
Awards will be given out to the top finishers of approximately eight categories, Wiens said. But don't feel excluded if you don't sprint to the top of the pack.
"You could walk it or just come to watch," he said.
If you just want to hang out or relax, there's plenty of opportunities for that too. Crafters from across the county will hawk their wares, and local music groups will perform. For the youngsters, crafts and games will be available.
And for the car enthusiast, the Route 56 Classic Cruisers car show will be set up along Memorial Drive.
For all this and much more, head for the Hillsboro Family Festival on Saturday. If you have questions, contact the Chamber of Commerce office at 947-3506.
