PIERCETON - About 5,000 people are expected to gather this weekend to celebrate Pierceton Days.
The festival begins Friday at noon, with the opening of vendors' booths, carnival amusements and the beginning of an antique flea market in front of Pierceton Public Library.
Pierceton Days will feature live musical performances, a car show, kiddies' bike race and free carriage rides around town. The festival parade will be Saturday at 4 p.m. The theme for this year's parade is "Tropical Dreams."
New to Pierceton Days this year, an arm-wrestling tournament and car stereo contest will be Saturday at 11 a.m. Also, hackey sack world-record holder Andy Linder will perform in the park after the parade.
The RE/MAX hot air balloon is scheduled to arrive at the baseball park at 7 p.m. Saturday, and festivalgoers will have the chance to take tethered rides for a voluntary donation to Riley Hospital for Children.
Kim Rose has organized Pierceton Days for the past five years. She said she is happy about the combination of new and traditional elements to this year's festival.
"I love Pierceton Days," Rose said. "I've always loved it since I was a kid. I just want to keep it a hometown old-fashioned carnival."
See pages 4B and 5B of Thursday's Times-Union for a complete Pierceton Days schedule.
