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NORTH MANCHESTER - Set-up for North Manchester's annual Fun Fest began Wednesday. Fun Fest begins today and goes through Sunday.
Many events will take place during this four-day festival. The Cruizin Illusions are sponsoring North Manchester's 10th annual car show Friday from 2 to 11:50 p.m. on downtown Main Street, followed by a fireworks show sponsored by Cruizin Illusions and a free concert at Market Square, Market Street. Performing is Spike and the Bulldogs from 8 to 11 p.m. The concert is sponsored by North Manchester Community Services and North Manchester Chamber of Commerce. In case of rain, the concert will be at the Manchester High School gymnasium.
Besides partying downtown, North Manchester's annual Fun Fest parade also will occupy the streets. The parade, sponsored by Indiana Lawrence Bank, takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. and begins at College Avenue and Market Street.
Karen Volk, co-chairman for the parade, said as of Wednesday, approximately 73 parade entries were tallied and more than 30 police and fire units were entered in the parade line-up.
North Manchester residents and the parade's 70-plus entries will celebrate the theme "Jukebox Jamboree." And what better way to celebrate music than to invite bluegrass guitarist Jeff White, a former North Manchester resident.
White, a 1975 Manchester High School graduate, will return home to serve as grand marshal for the annual Fun Fest parade. White also will perform at a hometown concert with the Jeff White Band at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Manchester High School Performing Arts Center. The concert is sponsored by Peabody Retirement Community. Admission is $5 per person and tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Parks and Recreation Department, 902 N. Market St.
Christian Maslowski, parade co-chairman, said White was chosen as the grand marshal because of his successful career in both bluegrass and country music.
"Jeff White was an obvious choice for grand marshal this year because of his outstanding contributions to bluegrass and country music," Maslowski said. "We are proud of Jeff's advocacy for music and welcome him back home to lead our Jukebox Jamboree."
White is a member of country music star Vince Gill's band. He has been dubbed one of the best young male singers in bluegrass, one of the best flatpicking guitarists and one of the best bluegrass songwriters, according to festival coordinators.
Volk said this year's annual parade will be much larger than last year's with so many units entered. Float competition also will take place with awards beginning at 7:45 p.m. The competition consists of four divisions: commercial/professional, community/education, nonprofessional and religious entries.
The Manchester High School band and the North Manchester Civic band also will compete in the parade. Other parade entries and competition include antique classic cars, baton corps, church floats, horse and rider units, horse drawn and motorized units, novelty vehicles, service organizations and walking units.
"And we have a special award for the parade," Volk said. A sponsor's choice award will be presented at the awards ceremony at 7:45 p.m. following the parade.
Besides the parade, the car cruise-in and the concerts, several other activities are scheduled for Fun Fest.
"One of the big attractions is the public safety day on Saturday," Volk said. The public safety day is sponsored by North Manchester Public Safety and events begin at noon and go until 5 p.m. on Main Street. Volk said events this year include a smoke house, child fingerprinting, bike registration, child safety seat and blood pressure checks, bike raffle, bike safety rodeo and a jaws of life demonstration, among several other events.
A diaper derby, three-on-three basketball tournament, taekwondo demonstration and a Corvette drawing will take place during Fun Fest at Market Square. Several other events will include a cutie king and queen contest, live music from local bands held at the Firehouse, Main Street, free watermelon feed and a '50s and '60s dress-up contest. A complete list of event times, dates and locations can be picked up at several North Manchester businesses, or for more information, contact the Fun Fest Steering Committee at 982-4919.
The Fun Fest Steering Committee members are: Karen Volk and Christian Maslowski, co-chairmen for the parade; Brian Wagner, park and recreation representative; Michael Schug, publicity chairman; Melissa Grinstead, treasurer; Sean Brandenburg, North Manchester Police Department representative; Andrea Dreyfus, Peabody Retirement Community representative; Sheryl Bowman, former publicity chairman; Dolores Greenlee, vendor chairman; and Todd Volk and Stan Bowman, volunteers.
