CPA Picnic and Main Street Market partner for week’s events

One of Eudora’s most iconic summer events is back this summer with new additions in hopes of continuing to draw young people and involving more local organizations. 

This year the CPA Picnic will join forces with the Convention and Visitor Bureau’s Main Street Market series to bring three days of vendors during the weekend festivities June 13 through 15. 

Vendors will line Main Street and include those who are usually at the monthly market. There will also be a Youth Maker’s Market featuring young people’s creations on Saturday.

The market will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The carnival rides will be hosted by WEEE Entertainment, which has become an annual staple in Eudora. There will be a Ferris wheel, along with many other rides. 

Picnic goers can purchase wristbands for $33 to gain unlimited access to the rides for the night or purchase single tickets for $4 each. The carnival will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

The annual Kids Parade will travel down Main Street starting at Pilla Park on Friday night. Anyone can participate and is encouraged to dress in costume, walk, ride bikes, bring pets or be pulled in a wagon. Registration will begin at 6 p.m. in Pilla Park. Prize money will be awarded with the most spirit. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. 

Following the closure of vendors on Main Street Saturday, the Grand Parade will start on 14th and Locust and travel down Main Street with a detour to pass by Medicalodges. Registration for floats will begin at 6 p.m. at the Rec Center. The parade starts at 7 p.m. Cash will be awarded to the best floats. 

Also new this year is the parade’s grand marshal. Laura Smith, who was selected as Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce, will serve as grand marshal. 

The parade will likely have upwards of 40 floats made by local organizations, businesses, high school reunion groups, school groups and more. The parade is a big part of CPA history, CPA President Grant High said. They hope to bring more community groups out to continue the long legacy it had in Eudora, he said. 

“It used to be everybody wanted to be in the CPA parade,” High said. 

The Central Protection Association’s picnic started as a gathering of various branches of the organizations in Kansas. After the disbandment of CPAs, Eudora – being the home of the meetings – decided to keep the picnic around as a way to foster community every summer, High said. 

For decades following, people would travel from all over for the weekend festivities. 

The event is more than just carnival games, rides and live music. It’s also a way to fundraise to put money back into these local organizations, High and Convention and Visitors Bureau President Jason Musick agreed. 

“I think, over the last couple of years, really getting more community involvement. Traditionally, it used to be the churches kind of were the stakeholders for the concession stands where, now, we’ve kind of tried to get more youth involved and more community organizations involved,” Musick said. 

The event is in its renaissance with more community involvement and getting local businesses out there as well, High said. 

Proceeds from the event have been donated back to organizations in Eudora for many years, and will continue to go to these causes, High said. 

The annual Jim Hoover Breakfast will be 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the park. The event is free and open to anyone in the community to recognize Hoover’s years dedicated to the CPA. 

This year, they are also selling a CPA Picnic souvenir cup for $8 that can be used at the soda stand all weekend. The cups will be for sale at the stand, but there is a limited supply, Musick said. 

There will also be a beer stand each night and people can drink within the park. There will also be select cocktails available this year. 

Concessions will be served by sports teams. There will be smoked hot dogs and brats, hamburgers, Gambino’s pizza and pies. There will also be a cantina tent with quesadillas, nachos and rice bowls along with Barbwire Barbecue, Main Street Scoops and Sweets and more. 

There will also be nicer restrooms rented for the weekend this year. 

Live music will go each night in the park, as well. Flanner, Laycock and Schrock Band will go from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Cowabunga Dude will be 8 p.m. to midnight Friday, and Thunderkat from 4 to 7 p.m. followed by Beet Red from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday night. 

The CPA golf tournament will be on Saturday at Village Greens Golf Course in Ozawkie. 

Registration will be from 7 to 7:30 a.m. with tee off at 8 a.m. 

Teams are $200 each. To register for a team, call Chris Maples at 785-813-8823. 

Here’s the full day-by-day breakdown:

 

Thursday

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Main Street Market 

6 to 10 p.m. – Carnival rides and games

5 to 10 p.m. –  Pop stand 

5 to 10 p.m. – Youth football runs concessions 

5 to 10 p.m. – EHS wrestling taco tent 

5 to 10 p.m. – Barbwire BBQ

5 to 10 p.m. – Main Street Scoops and Sweets 

5 to 11 p.m. – Beer stand 

6 to 10 p.m. Flanner, Laycock and Schrock Band performs

Friday

5:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Main Street Market 

6 to 10 p.m. – Carnival rides and games

5 to 11 p.m. Youth football runs concessions 

5 to 11 p.m. –  Pop stand 

5 to 11 p.m. – Youth football concessions

5 to 11 p.m. – EHS wrestling taco tent 

5 to 11 p.m. – Barbwire BBQ

5 to 11 p.m. – Main Street Scoops and Sweets

5 to midnight – Beer stand

7 p.m. – Kids parade

8 to midnight – Cowabunga Dude performs 

 

Saturday

8 a.m. – Golf tournament 

8:30 to 10:30 p.m. – Jim Hoover breakfast 

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Main Street Market 

Noon to 11 p.m. – Cardinal Clay runs concession stand 

Noon to 11 p.m. – Pop stand 

Noon to midnight – Beer stand 

4 to 7 p.m. – Thunderkat performs

4 to 11 p.m. – EHS wrestling taco tent 

4 to 11 p.m. – Barbwire BBQ

4 to 11 p.m. – Main Street Scoops and Sweets

7 p.m. – Grand Parade

8 to midnight – Beet Red performs

For more information visit the CPA Facebook page. 

 

Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]. 

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