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NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊNorth Manchester's annual festival, FunFest, will feature some new events this year. FunFest is Aug. 9 through Aug. 12.
Christian Maslowski, FunFest parade co-chairman, said one of the new events this year is the "Giant Water Ball" competition. The event will take place on Market Street near Second Street at 11 a.m. Aug. 11, and is sponsored by the North Manchester Volunteer Fire Department.
"There's talk of a fire hose ... ," Maslowski said. "It sounds like it's going to be a blast. So you're going to have to come out and see."
FunFest also will feature a new information booth to be set up in Market Square for people to get festival information, Maslowski said, and a summer playground at the Warvel Park Pavilion is another new event for this year's festival.
Maslowski said bicycles will be raffled off at the summer playground.
"We're actually giving away bikes this year to children age 10 and under," he said.
But besides new events, Maslowski said, some of the annual events are still "big crowd-drawers." Those events include the 11th annual cruise-in Aug. 10 at 5 p.m. sponsored by the Cruizin Illusions.
"The cruise-in is where people bring in their antique and classic cars to display," Maslowski said. "It just jam-packs Main Street."
Another huge draw to the festival is Spike and the Bulldogs, Maslowski said. They will be playing in Market Square on the corner of Market and Main streets Aug. 10 at 8 p.m. Maslowski said the concert is free to the public.
The FunFest parade, "Going the Distance," is Aug. 11 at 6 p.m. So far, Maslowski said, 60 entries have been accepted for the parade, compared to last year's 70 entries. The deadline for entries was Wednesday, he said, and there's always some last- minute entries.
"I'm thinking this is going to be the biggest (parade yet) - 80-plus units this year," Maslowski said. "We might have to cut off the entries. Deadline (was) Wednesday and they're still coming in."
Grand marshals for the parade are Jim and Anne Garber.
Also Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. is another free public concert. "Barbie & 19th West Avenue," a country western band from Wabash, will perform at Market Square on the corner of Market and Main streets.
Another big event during FunFest is the Public Safety Day Aug. 9 from 5 to 8 p.m. along Main Street. The event is sponsored by the North Manchester Police Department. Maslowski said several police departments around the state participate in Public Safety Day, including more than 30 agencies. The Indiana State Police and Parkview Hospital's helicopter, the Samaritan, are only two of the many agencies participating this year, Maslowski said.
Other events during FunFest include authentic antique stagecoach rides Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to dusk along Main Street; square dancing; a Ronald McDonald show at the North Manchester Public Library; a pizza-eating contest; a diaper derby; 3-on-3 basketball tournament; and a cutie king and queen contest, among several other events.
Maslowski said volunteers to help with FunFest are always appreciated.
"We can always use volunteers for the parade and information booths," he said.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the parade or information booths this year should contact Maslowski at 800-937-2448, Ext. 2410, during the day, or 490-6024 in the evening. Interested volunteers also may contact Karen Volk, FunFest parade co-chairman, at 800-254-6265, Ext. 1788, during the day, or 982-7489 in the evening.
The 2001 FunFest steering committee includes: Maslowski and Volk, parade co-chairmen; Brian Wagner; Melissa Grinstead; Stan Ogan and Dolores Greenlee, FunFest co-chairmen; Kay Snipes; Sheryl Bowman; Todd Volk; Deb Richardson; and Sean Brandenburg.
