By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The 50th Annual After Harvest Festival in Ellinwood is gearing up to be a memorable one. Most of the events have been moved back to Wolf Park in downtown Ellinwood. The Chamber of Commerce is also stepping up the big kickoff on Thursday, July 13. In an effort to beat the summer heat, the event has been bumped back to a 6:30 p.m. start. And Festival Committee Co-Chair Nancy Baird said that's just the start of a big evening.
"We're going to be having a show-and-shine," she said. "People can bring their car, whether it's an antique or a muscle car, something they've restored, or something they're just proud of. They can bring that so people can look at that. At the end of the barbecue, we're going to do a Cruise Night through the traditional old route of Ellinwood. Then we have Rice County Line playing at the Legion."
Plates are available for just $5, cash only, at the community barbecue. The event will also feature live music, an ice cream social, jumbo kid's games, face painting, barrel train rides, and more. It's all about promoting a family-fun mentality while celebrating the history of Ellinwood.
"I think everybody's just ready for that," Baird said. "It's something a little bit different to bring everything back downtown. We have some awesome stores downtown. I know they're excited to have that high volume of traffic down there. I'm really excited."
The After Harvest Festival continues throughout the weekend with the parade highlighting activities on Saturday, July 14. The Lazy Wayne Band will provide the musical entertainment on Friday, and The Other Guys headline Saturday evening's entertainment. Follow the Ellinwood After Harvest Festival on Facebook for updates.