New kids events added to the Town and Country Days schedule

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Town and Country Days packs downtown Eldorado with entertainment and revelry Sept. 17 through Sept. 20.

Adults have annually enjoyed the downtown stage performers and seeing the youngsters of the community compete in the beauty pageant. Organizers wanted to target some of those youngsters this year with a series of contests.

This year brings the Town and Country Kids Barnyard with fun and educational projects.

"We will be doing a lot preparation for the kids activities. There is a lot to be done right now.

Everybody is anchored down into their area and putting a lot of effort into it to make it the best year possible," Poole said.

One of the features of the barnyard is the construction zone.

"They can create their own vegetable derby race car," Tonya Poole of the Town and Country Days Committee said.

Using the model of the Boy Scouts matchbox derby, kids will try out cucumbers, potatoes, eggplants or whatever other vegetable to learn about aerodynamics, mass or just learn that vegetables can be fun. The vegetable competitors will race head to head down a track and vie to become Vegetable Derby Champion.

The barnyard will have various craft activities to keep the children occupied while parents socialize. Recycling paper is one of the many ideas.

Poole is amazed by the community support for emphasis on children's activities.

"The response we've had from the businesses and the community support for this event is overwhelming. We are totally grateful for all that help," Poole said.

"The kids events have a very small budget and the response from the community, from adults and kids alike, is overwhelming. It's a blessing to see everyone working to help out with something new for the kids."

Big John's, Soloww Construction and April Briddick donated to the "barnyard" which involves canopies structure with hay bales for seating and the perimeter.

The barnyard opens at 6 p.m. following the 5 p.m. opening ceremonies and continues all weekend. Also continuing all weekend will be the Gamers Tournament using Nintendo wii game systems.

Rent One, the band Unleashed and Graph Ink printing provided materials for the tournament. Med Force Ambulance has donated a wii game system as the prize for the tournament.

After getting acquainted with the barnyard activities youngsters can get a chance at local stardom in the Kids Karaoke Contest. The contest, beginning at 7 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. pre-registration, costs $1 to sing or be a judge.

"A judge can be any age. They could be 20. That panel will decide the winner at the end," Poole said.

There will be prizes yet to be determined. Poole is looking at bicycles, scooters, gas cards and game systems.

Poole hopes the Karoake contest will showcase some of the fine, young voices of the area and wants the youngest kids to be in on the fun, too. In the barnyard there will be a stage for the tykes.

"They can get up there and sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' if they want," Poole said.

Following the kids Karaoke is the Talent Showcase. There are four spots available. Competitors will audition for the chance at 15 minutes of fame.

"We want something extraordinary. We are not looking for bands, not looking for singers, but if you do magic or have some special gift you want to share, audition," Poole said.

Stand up comics are welcome as are jugglers and people with pet tricks.

Poole envisions a community mosaic project where young people can all contribute to a large piece of artwork.

"Once it's completed we are hoping to display it at a business each year and add 5-foot by 5-foot squares," Poole said.

"We've been collecting broken glass and broken plates if they've got it."

Poole hopes the mosaic and other barnyard events impress on the kids recycling can be fun. Even broken items can be useful.

Poole believes the mosaic can reach another type of kids who may be uninterested in rides and the stage entertainment.

"I think they will enjoy sitting and talking with each other working on an art piece," Poole said.

Another project to teach recycling is reupholstering chairs.

She thinks people will be interested in walking in a doctor's office or bank and knowing there is a chair the youth refurbished during Town and Country Days.

She is hoping to recycle paper in the barnyard and have Dan January, Environmental Health officer of Egyptian Public and Mental Health speak on recycled crafts.

"The more we can get motivated in the community, the better off everybody is," Poole said of the recycling effort.

Wednesday night is the night for kids entertainment, Thursday is the Town and Country Beauty Pageant, Friday is entertainment of Palmetto State Quartet at 7 p.m., Mama T at 8 p.m. and a band called River at 9 p.m.

Saturday brings the giant Town and Country Days Parade at 1 p.m. followed by the Marching Band Competition in front of the downtown stage. Prizes are $100 for first place, $75 for second place, $50 for third place and $25 for fourth place.

Most Wanted performs at 7 p.m. and at 9 p.m. Shenandoah closes the festival until next year.

Updates to the festival are publicized at the Internet site myspace.com/townandcountrydays

- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.