EudoraFest will return for its 28th year with a new event to further engage the community.
In addition to the car show this year, there will also be a parade through town allowing more people to see the vintage cars.
The day will begin at 9 a.m. Oct. 5 with the national anthem by Dani Tompkins in CPA Park. At this time, the vendor area will open. Music by The Gary & Dani Show will follow.
The parade will start at 9:30 at the Community Center before traveling down the CPA Picnic parade route.
Those interested in bringing cars but not participating in the parade can park on Main Street during that time. Those wanting to sign up can either message Rex Burkhardt at 785-393-7850 or the Facebook account, or show up on the day of the event. Registration for the car show is $10.
Burkhardt said the number of cars participating at the shows he’s been to this year has increased by about 25%. He’s expecting about 80 cars and five military vehicles this year. Prizes for the car show will be presented at 3:15 p.m.
The annual garden tractor pull will also continue this year with a weigh-in at 11 a.m. followed by the event at noon. Last year, there was a record number of entries. There will be prizes for winners. Tractors are also welcome to participate in the parade this year.
Music by Delta Haze from Topeka will begin at noon, as well, and go until 3 p.m.
There will be a cake walk at 1 p.m. in the CPA gazebo. Music by Vintage Voices will be at 1:30 p.m.
The Methodist Church will sell its annual apple dumplings and chicken noodle soup until sold out.
Those interested in being a vendor can message the festival Facebook as well. There will also be food from Barbwire Barbecue.
EudoraFest will wrap up at 4 p.m.
Committee President Barbara Tuttle hopes to have kids participate in a scavenger-hunt type game similar to the one last year. If they are able to find different vendors or things at the fest, they can receive a free pizza from Gambino’s within the month.
This year’s flyers have three iterations advertising the events. If a resident finds an error on any of the flyers, they can message EudoraFest on Facebook with an answer. If it is correct, they will be entered into a raffle for a prize on the day of the festival.
EudoraFest was first started to celebrate Eudora’s German heritage. Burkhardt was on the city council at the time the event was discussed for the first time in 1997. The idea came from former Mayor Fred Stewart, he said. The first few years there was a large polka band to help celebrate.
Rob Wiley, the festival’s treasurer, has been on the committee since 2005. He said getting to give this event to the community is what keeps him going.
“I’ve always been – since I was a kid, came up through 4-H and FFA – my mom and dad instilled community service,” he said.
EudoraFest shirts will also be on sale at the event.
Usually around 2,500 to 3,000 people come to the festival from all over, the organizers said. Planning for the next year’s festival has to start in January or February, meaning the committee doesn’t take much time off before planning begins for the coming year.
The committee is looking for volunteers to help on the day of the event. If anyone is interested, they can message the account on Facebook.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
