Something for everyone at Florence celebration
There will be no shortage of entertainment opportunities in Florence during the annual Labor Day celebration.
Saturday evening kicks off with an "End of the Trail" parade at 5:30. Members of the Hillsboro Saddle Club, who take part in the trail ride from Marion to Florence Saturday afternoon, will parade down Main Street before enjoying a hog roast hosted by the Florence Fire Department.
Following the horse parade, Bingo games will be available in the American Legion building from 6 to 9 p.m. There will be two sessions with cash prizes awarded for each game. At the end of each session there will be one "blackout" game with a $99 prize.
At the same time, an outdoor stage on Main Street will be the location for outdoor musical entertainment.
First up at 6:30 will be Jake Tanner from Wichita. Tanner is an 11-year-old fiddling sensation, who has entertained all over Kansas and is promoted by country radio station, KFDI.
Cheryl Robinson Doty will take the stage at 7:30 and perform a selection of pop and country songs. Cheryl is well-known in the Marion County area. Her voice and talent have made her a popular entertainer.
The annual street dance will begin at 9 p.m. with the local "DJ Doctors" providing the music. Concessions will be available. The Labor Day committee, once again, asks that no glass containers be brought to the dance. Admission is by purchase of the Labor Day button.
Entertainment continues Sunday with a gospel concert at 6:30 p.m. on the stage downtown. The Butler Brothers will provide the inspirational music. There will be a free-will donation taken after the concert.
An ice cream social at the American Legion will top off the evening.
More music is on tap for Monday night when Ann Zimmerman takes the stage at 5 p.m. in the gymnasium building at 8th and Dean.
Zimmerman is a singer-songwriter from Salina who sings about life on the prairie. She has a CD out and has performed all over the country.
The traditional Labor Day Melodrama will be performed on the same stage following the concert. A local cast will present "The Villain Wore a Dirty Shirt."
Both events at the gymnasium require a Labor Day button for admission.
"There will be lots of entertainment in Florence all weekend long," said Labor Day committee member Trayce Warner. "Some events are free and some will require a button. The easiest way to keep it all straight is just to buy the button and go to everything that interests you."
Warner advises keeping a copy of the schedule of events appearing in this week's paper.
