‘Celebrating Family and Food’ this year’s Mentone Egg Festival theme

The Mentone Egg Festival will be Thursday through Saturday, June 1-3. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Family and Food.”

The three-day event features entertainment, games, food, a parade through the downtown area and much more. All entertainment events are free. Flea markets and craft vendors will line the main streets downtown.

For the safety of everyone attending, no dogs — with the exception of service animals — or other pets are allowed in the festival area. Also, the sale of alcohol is not part of the festival.

Thursday, June 1

Along with flea markets, crafts and food, there will be a children’s area to help kick off the festival at 5 p.m. The children’s area will be uptown. The Bulldogs (formerly Spike and the Bulldogs) will perform at 7:30 p.m. This concert is in memory of Russell and Leona Eber. The concert will be at the fire station.

Friday, June 2

The fun starts at 11 a.m. Grab a Bell burger and more from the tent at the Bell Museum. The flea markets, crafts and other food vendors will be open from noon to 9 p.m. For the kiddos there will be inflatables and games from 2 p.m. until dark.

The 28th annual Egg Festival Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show and the Echoes of the Past Tractor Show will get underway at 4 p.m. on Tucker Street. Enjoy listening to ‘50s and ‘60s music while bidding on silent auction items from 6-9 p.m. uptown. The band “Copper Bridge” will perform at East Main and The Barricade.

Saturday, June 3

The Valley football team will be trying their hand at flipping pancakes for breakfast from 6-10 a.m. at the fire station. Registration for the Egg City 5K/1-mile walk will be from 6:30-7:45 a.m. at the fire station with the races stepping off at 8 a.m. from the fire station.

The aroma of barbecue will be wafting throughout the festival grounds as the backyard BBQ cookoff gets underway at 9 a.m. in front of Hartzler Funeral Home.

The inflatables, games, crafts and food stands will open at 9 a.m. while the 3-on-3 basketball with Joe Luce gets underway in the parking lot by the fire station.

Judging for parade entries begins at 10 a.m. at the parade lineup site, with the parade stepping off promptly at 11 a.m. This year’s parade marshal is Phylis Bowser.