Saturday begins a weekend of craft sales, food and music in Mound City

The historical Mound City bandwagon is one of the features of the annual Sugar Mound parade. The parade kicks off a weekend of arts and craft sales, food vendors and even a concert on Saturday evening. (Journal file photo)

By Roger Sims, rsims@linncountyjournal.com

The Sugar Mound Arts and Crafts Festival is set to  begin its two-day run this Saturday, Oct. 12, with the annual Sugar Mound parade. The parade, the largest in Linn County every year, will begin its march down Main Street in Mound City at 10 a.m.

The parade kicks off two days of selling from several different venues around Mound City, and even around Linn County. In addition to the Sugar Mound Arts and Crafts Festival at the Mound City Fairgrounds, the Jolly Market Boutique will open its doors at Jayhawk-Linn High School a half-mile west of Mound City on Kansas Highway 52.

Other shops in Mound City will be open as well, including Three Chicks and a Pony across Main Street from the Linn County Courthouse.

Also this year, the Mound City Historical Park will have vendors, a two-day quilt show, self-guided tours around the museums buildings and cabins and mums for sale.

The Saturday will end with a concert by the Neon Harvest band at the Mound City Amphitheater beginning at 6:45 p.m. Local singers Taylor Robinson and Danielle Slinkard will also be featured at the concert. The concert is free, and those who plan to attend should bring lawn chairs or blankets.

The original arts and crafts show will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. In addition to nearly 400 arts and crafts booths, there will be a wide range of food vendors.

In conjunction with the festival is the annual Sugar Mound 5K run, which takes off from the starting line at 8 a.m. Saturday. Entry fees go to help fund local scholarships to graduating seniors.