Stockton Peony Festival this Saturday, May 21st

Live music, a parade, games, food, shopping, and much more!

The peonies are starting to bloom so that can only mean one thing….Stockton’s Peony Festival is here! The event will take place this Saturday, May 21st with lots to do, lots to eat and lots to see.

The day kicks off at 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. with a Pancake Breakfast at the Stockton City Hall. The Stockton Fire Department will be hosting this fundraiser.

Also at 7:00 a.m. is the registration for the Stockton Food Pantry 5K. The registration fee is any nonperishable food item. Please register at the corner by Nex-Tech. Then at 8:00 p.m., the 5K will begin with the starting point located on South Elm by Nex-Tech and the finish line at South Walnut by Printer’s Park. The Stockton Recreation is sponsoring this event.

And here is a new event for everyone to enjoy. Registration for the Gnome Scavenger Hunt will be held at the Stockton Chamber Office at 8:30 p.m. with the hunt to begin at 9:00 a.m. Farm Bureau Financial Services, the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce, and Diamond K Autowash are the sponsors.

The Vendor Fair will be held on Main Street from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with over thirty retail vendors and four food vendors to be out on the streets. There is something for everyone with the list of vendors on flyers posted throughout the town. People can also check out the Chamber Facebook page to look through the list.

If you are hungry for a sweet treat, this year you can decorate your own sugar cookies at Printer’s Park while supplies last. They will open up shop at 9:00 a.m. so get there early! The cookie decorating is sponsored in part by Stockton Pharmacy and the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce.

At 10:30 a.m. the Sigma Phi ESA will be hosting children’s games on North Walnut located by the Rooks County Health Department. Sponsors are Sigma Phi ESA, Kiser Ag, and Auxiliary to the VFW Post #8873.

Then at 11:00 a.m., K-State Research and Extension Agent Rachael Boyle will be at Printer’s Park to oversee those who want to decorate a pot and plant a seed, while supplies last.

The Parade lineup registration is located on the corner of Main and Spruce Street at 12:30 p.m., so get ready to line up those floats so the Peony Festival Parade can begin at 1:00 p.m.! The Parade will travel down Main to Elm Street, then will go south past the back side of the Solomon Valley Manor before ending at South Fourth Street. Prizes are being sponsored by the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce.

At the start of the parade, the winners of the Garden Lady and Gnome Contests will be announced over the sound system provided by the Stockton Rodders.

And don’t forget, the Cornhole Tournament registration will begin immediately following the Parade.

Another added attraction at this year’s Festival will be Live Music throughout the afternoon provided by Ricky Fugitt at Printer’s Park on South Walnut. So come enjoy some good music!

The Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest will be at 2:00 p.m. on North Walnut and the South Side of Main Street. Sponsors are Solutions North Bank, Coast To Coast Title Company, Inc., Muir Law Office, Webster Bait & Tackle, Krob Trenching, Five One Five Studios, Stockton Lions Club, the Daily Grind and Westhusings, Inc.

Then, the Cornhole Tournament will being on South Walnut Street by Printers Park. All registration money goes back into payout prizes for first place and second place with third place to get their registration fee back.

Make plans to enjoy this fun-filled day with lots to see and do!

(Look for the scheduled events ad in this week’s issue.)