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By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

This year's Arkalalah celebration brings a few new elements. It will start with a night of music on the levee and end with $100 coupon giveaways for computer products just before the fireworks next Saturday.

These events are in addition, of course, to all the fun events that happen every year -- food vendors downtown, a night parade, carnival, kiddies parade, queen's coronation, street games and the Big Parade on Saturday.

The 76th annual Arkalalah festival will be from Oct. 24 - 27, culminating in the Big Parade followed by a band and flag festival, a light show featuring the Arkansas City High School Bulldogs Band and a fireworks display.

"Hopefully we'll have good weather and a great turnout," said Shawn McGrew, 2007 Arkalalah chairman.

Typically, the event brings 30,000 people to town including former Arkansas City residents who return for class reunions. There will be several reunions celebrated in various locations around town.

"Seuss on the Loose" will be this year's theme, with the possibility of some creative parade floats, McGrew said.

The theme was chosen in honor of the 50th anniversary of "The Cat in the Hat," one of numerous books by children's writer and poet, the late Theodor Seuss Geisel. The book was first published in 1957.

The books are filled with imaginative characters and illustrations.

"I think it's going to be a fantastic theme (and festival) -- family, friends and fun," McGrew said.

In conjunction with the theme, the Arkalalah Committee with the help of the Traveler and the Arkansas City Public Library is sponsoring a poetry-writing contest for elementary and middle school students. Entries submitted for the contest are published in this special Arkalalah tab.

This year's Arkalalah week will kick off with a medallion hunt in which Traveler readers search for a hidden medallion based on clues printed in the Traveler. The winner can claim a $500 prize at Graves Drug.

A new event this year is the River of Life Music Festival featuring four bands in performance at 6 p.m. next Tuesday on the levee, northeast of the Arkansas River Bridge off Summit Street.

The concert will have performances by Remedy Drive, Ashley Reynolds, the Butler Brothers and Tim Durham.

From 5 to 7 p.m. the same evening will be a Habitat for Humanity meatball dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. Tickets are $6, and are available by calling the church at (620) 442-5700.

Concessions downtown will open at 11 a.m. next Wednesday. Downtown visitors can choose among 23 food and refreshment booths for a lunch or snack. They will be located on the avenues off Summit Street, between Central and Washington.

An annual favorite activity for kids is "All You Can Ride Night" from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday. It is put on by Evans United Shows, the carnival that comes to town for Arkalalah.

At 8 p.m. the Parade of Lights begins downtown; another favorite of many who attend Arkalalah. Floats entered in the parade will be covered with twinkling lights and prizes will be awarded the ones judged to be the best.

Food vendors will open their booths again at 11 a.m. Thursday, with the carnival opening at 5 p.m.

That night will be a football game between arch rivals, Arkansas City High School and Winfield High School. The game will be at Curry Field at 7 p.m.

Many activities are in store on Friday and Saturday.

Tours of the former Burford Theatre will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. The theater being restored to its original 1920s look. Those who want to tour the building must register at the Denton Art Center, (620) 442-5895.

The carnival opens at 10 a.m. Friday. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. will be the Arkalalah Craft Show in the Ark City Recreation Center at Fifth Avenue at B Street. A "stuff and strut concession" marathon will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. downtown.

Crowning of Little Mr. and Miss Arkalalah will be at 2 p.m. Friday, at Fifth Avenue and Summit Street, followed by the children's parade at 3 p.m. downtown.

The Arkalalah Coronation will be at 8 p.m. at the Brown Theatre. The 76th Queen Alalah will be crowned during an entertainment program.

"This year, Sarah Bryant and Rhonda McLaughlin are graciously co-chairing the coronation committee," McGrew said. "We are excited to announce that this years theme will be 'How The Grinch Stole Coronation.'"

On Saturday, at 5:30 a.m. the Kiwanis Pancake Feed will open in its usual place -- a building at First Street just north of Fifth Avenue.

Registration for the Arkalalah Run will be from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. that morning. The two-mile run begins at 9 a.m. A horseshoe pitching tournament at Sixth and Madison starts at 10 a.m.; sign-up begins at 9 a.m.

Street Games will start at 11:15 a.m. for kids, and later for adults.

The Big Parade will begin at 2 p.m. downtown. As of Tuesday last week, 19 bands had signed up to be in the parade, McGrew said.

The free band and flag festival will start at 4 p.m. (or after the parade) at Curry Field. In case of rain, it will be held in the W.S. Scott Auditorium.

The light show and performance by the Bulldog Band will take place at 8:30 p.m., followed by the fireworks display.

A drawing will be held at the band festival for $100 coupons for computer equipment from KPM Computer Solutions, Winfield. Ten coupons will be awarded to the lucky spectators whose numbers are drawn.

McGrew said Arkalalah is a community event that is the result of hard work by city employees and volunteers.


Schedule of Events

Saturday, Oct. 20
* Medallion hunt begins

Tuesday, Oct. 23
* 6 p.m. - River of Life Music Festival with Remedy Drive, Ashley Reynolds, the Butler Brothers and Tim Durham

Wednesday, Oct. 24
* 11 a.m. - Concessions open
* 6-10 p.m. - "All You Can Ride" night at the carnival
* 8 p.m. - Parade of Lights

Thursday, Oct. 25
* 11 a.m. - Concessions open
* 5 p.m. - Carnival opens
* 5-10 p.m. - Carna Kids Safe Haven
* 7 p.m. - ACHS vs. Winfield football at Ark City

Friday, Oct. 26
* 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Burford tours
* 10 a.m. Carnival opens
* 11 a.m. Concessions open
* 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. - Stuff and Strut Marathon
* Noon to 8 p.m. - Arkalalah Refreshment Garden
* 2 p.m. Crowning of Little Mr.and Miss Arkalalah
* 2:30 p.m. - Judging of children's parade
* 3 p.m. Children's Parade
* 8 p.m. - Arkalalah Coronation

Saturday, Oct. 27
* 5:30 a.m. - Kiwanis Pancake Feed opens
* 7 a.m.-10 p.m. - Carna Kids Safe Haven
* 7:30-8:30 a.m. - Registration for Arkalalah Run
* 9 a.m. - Arkalalah Two-mile Run
* 9 a.m. - sign-up Doubles Horseshoe-pitching tourney
* 10 a.m. - Horseshoe pitching begins
* 9 a.m.-3 p.m. - Burford tours
* 9 a.m. Arkalalah Rec Center Craft Show
* 9 a.m.-1 p.m. - Volkswalk
* 9:45 a.m. - Check-in for kids' Fun Run for grades K-5
* 10 a.m. - Presentation of awards for Two-mile Run
* 10 a.m. - Carnival opens
* 10:15 a.m. - Home National Bank Fun Run for elementary students
* 11 a.m. Presentation of good-sport award and fitness grant
* 11 a.m.-1 p.m. - St. Paul United Methodist Church chicken noodle dinner
* 11:15 a.m. - street games
* Noon-5 p.m. - Arkalalah Refreshment Garden
* 2 p.m. - Arkalalah Big Parade
* 4 p.m. - Band and Flag festival at Curry Field
* 8:30 p.m. - Light Show at Curry Field with the Bulldog band