The Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair takes place on Saturday, September 26 in and around the Smoky Hill Museum at 211 W. Iron Avenue in downtown Salina. The Street Fair is a FREE day of celebration with music, participatory crafts and activities, historic and artistic demonstrators, chili cook-off, food vendors and, of course, tours of the museum itself.

The Street Fair celebration begins at 10 a.m. with a Salina tradition; a parade down Santa Fe, from Elm to the Masonic Temple. This year’s theme is “Groovin’ Thru the ‘60s.” The parade will feature bands, dancers, businesses, military and much more.

The museum gallery is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. for everyone to enjoy One Keepers Place (a discovery area for kids), the museum store, and a tremendous exhibit: The 1960s Part I: Political Power.

This year, back by popular demand, is the Chili Cook-off. Grab a taste of all the entries for the price of a $5.00 wristband. Public taste testing begins at noon and continues while supplies last. The award ceremony is at 3 p.m. All proceeds will go to the Friends of the Smoky Hill Museum to help with the renovation of the children’s interactive area in the Museum.

Entertainment is planned on two stages. “The Dock” (east of the museum), a youth/community stage, will feature street magician and escape artist August Gilbreath, the Vodvill Klown, Richard Renner, and Salina’s very own The Lyric Academy of Music.

The Main Stage (north side of the museum) presents musical entertainment from popular regional groups. Starting off the day is Cowgirl’s Train Set, a high-speed, high-octane, all-inclusive folksy, jazzy, boogie, seven-member band from Lawrence.

Truck Stop Honeymoon’s music has been billed as “Bluegrass, punk-rock and a palpable dose of soul. Displaced by hurricane Katrina, Truck Stop Honeymoon now calls Lawrence home.

Finishing out the day on the Main Stage is a new feature – a spaghetti eating contest sponsored by Martinelli’s Little Italy. Eight contestants will each battle their way through a full order of scrumptious spaghetti to see who can finish first. Several lucky folks will be picked from Martinelli’s facebook page.

Historic and artistic demonstrators will be on hand from 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. as well, featuring weavers, woodworking, soap making, a potter, a mountain man and caricaturists.

Favorite activities for kids of most ages include free make-and-take crafts, the corn box and, with the purchase of a $5 wristband, they can jump on the inflatables the whole day. And, of course, there will be food.

Thanks to sponsorships from many dedicated Salina residents and businesses, there is no cost to attend this day of celebration. Watch the museum web site, www.smokyhillmuseum.org, for the most up-to-date information and come celebrate autumn on September 26 at the Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair.