NORTH WEBSTER – Dixie Day on Saturday is celebrating this year the sternwheeler that has chugged along Webster Lake for 86 years. Dixie Day Festival and Art Fair celebrates the Dixie boat and all things North Webster at sites throughout town Saturday starting with a 5K at 8 a.m. The fest has expanded from its original site along Ind. 13 in downtown North Webster and North Webster Town Park, 405 E. Dixie Drive, and now includes the Mermaid Festival Grounds, 418 W. Washington St. Registration for the 5K fun run and walk, with a scenic route on parts of Webster Lake, is from 6:45 to 7:45 a.m. and takes off at 8 a.m. This is a sanctioned race and awards will be given in various age groups. Both registration and the race take place at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St.; the finish line is at Dixie Landing in North Webster Town Park. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is the juried Art Fair and Open Air Market, along Ind. 13 and on the lawn in front of Pilcher Shoe’s. North Webster Community Center will kick off its annual auction and raffle ticket sales at Dixie Day and the American Legion Post 253 will be selling raffle tickets. Two blocks away at the Mermaid Festival Grounds, the Dixie Day Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show will be going on as well as the Vintage Snowmobile Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a top prize of $500 for the car show and awards will be given at 2:30 p.m. A variety of food vendors will be placed throughout the area for Dixie Day. The Dixie boat has added extra cruises at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to the already scheduled 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. outings. The price to ride the Dixie and hear the narration on its history and the lake is $7. Family games will be available to play in North Webster Town Park from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. North Webster American Legion Post 253 is opening its outdoors tiki bar to the public all day and will have live music from 8 to 11 p.m. at the Legion, 756 S. Ind. 13. Note there is a detour around North Webster because a bridge is being replaced south of town on Ind. 13.
