40th annual Homestead Festival this weekend in Princeton

The 40th annual Homestead Festival gets into full swing today and runs through Sunday in Princeton, featuring plenty of food and entertainment at Soldiers and Sailors Park on South Main Street.  The food includes the much-anticipated Bureau County Pork Producers' pork chops and pork burgers.  Tonight, a pulled pork barbecue dinner and ice cream social is held at the park as the Homestead Steering Committee presents Parade Grand Marshal Steve Samet of the Central Radio Group, Princeton Junior Women’s Club baby contest winners, and the window display winners. You can hear those announcements during an on-location broadcast on WZOE-AM beginning at 6 this evening.  The Princeton Jaycees will have its annual beer garden and entertainment at Darius Miller Park from 8:30 to 12:30.

Today's events also include an open house at the Princeton Power Plant, tours at the Bureau County Historical Society Museum, a Prairie Arts exhibit and play, tours of the Owen Lovejoy Homestead, and twilight horse-drawn wagon rides.  Plenty of food and entertainment is available at Soldiers and Sailors Park on South Main Street.

Among the Saturday highlights are a children’s fun fair, lard pie baking contest, an arts and crafts show on the courthouse lawn, and the annual parade down Main Street, which steps off at 1:30.  Listen for an on-location broadcast of the parade on WZOE-AM.  WZOE will also be broadcasting on-location Saturday morning from the Underground Railroad 5K run and Wise Guys burger-eating contest.

On Sunday, it's the 31st annual Homestead Festival Car show on Main Street.

Also as part of the weekend's events, the Festival 56 theater group presents "The Guys", a play based on actual events of the 9-11 terrorist attacks in the US.  The play will be performed at the Grace Theatre tonight, twice tomorrow, and once Sunday.