Cruisin’ for a Cause this Saturday
Downtown Park Hills will come alive this Saturday for the second annual Cruisin’ for a Cause event.
With the many different things planned for the all-day event, there has been a lot to do and planning has been underway ever since last year’s cruise wrapped up. Event organizers have been tying up loose ends and making final preparations this week.
Cruisin’ for a Cause benefits the Park Hills Senior Center’s Meals on Wheels program which provides food for hundreds of senior citizens in the area.
Park Hills Senior Center Director Holly Buxton said that this year has been a little less stressful due to all of the tremendous help she’s received in putting the day together.
“I’ve had such awesome help with everything,” said Buxton. “We just want the community to have a good time and to help our seniors out. The weather looks like it’s going to cooperate so, I’m excited.”
Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with opening ceremonies on the main stage and many events will be happening throughout the day at several downtown locations.
The event will encompass the downtown area with the main stage located in the old Country Mart parking lot where most of the contests and ceremonies happen. Volunteers will be wearing yellow shirts and will have event maps to hand out and can answer any questions that people might have.
Shuttles will be running all day to take people from their parking spots to area all throughout the downtown area. A bus from Andy’s Garage in Gumbo will also serve as a shuttle.
Located in the new Country Mart parking lot will be the live music stage featuring JIM-N-EM.
Also in the new Country Mart lot will be the vendor’s area, beer garden, and cornhole area.
There will be more than 50 vendors on the lot this year and nine food trucks serving up different types of festival fare. Brunch with a Twist will be hosted at the senior center from 10 to 11:30 a.m and lunch will be served at the center from 1 to 4 p.m at a cost of $8 a plate.
The cornhole area and beer garden will be managed by The Old Mine House Bar & Grill and going on right next to that will be the Pit Boss competition where grill masters will compete for the title of Pit Boss Champion in four categories including chicken, burnt ends, ribs, and desserts. The champion will receive a $500 cash prize and winners in each of the four categories will receive $100 gift cards.
The cost of entering the barbecue competition is $25 for one contest and $10 for each additional contest. Participants can pay $50 to participate in all four contests.
Those wishing to participate in the competition can register and get more information online at www.phlcoc.net.
A dunk tank will be set up in the Old Country Mart parking lot and from 11 a.m to 4 p.m., people will have the chance to try and dunk city officials including City Mayor Daniel Naucke and members of the city council, members of the police department, and coaches from the high school. Proceeds from the dunk tank will benefit both the Meals on Wheels program and the Park Hills K-9 program.
The kids area will be located in the Park Hills Library parking lot where there will be inflatables, pony rides, face painting, games, pictures with a monster truck, and more.
Event-goers can stop off at the Subway parking lot for a photo with friends at the selfie station.
A talent contest and karaoke will take place from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. There will be separate children and adult portions of the talent show and a $250 and $100 cash prize will be awarded to the winners.
For auto enthusiasts there will plenty to see on Main Street during the day. The car show will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Registration for car show participants will be at noon. Dash plaques will be given to the first 50 cars and trophies will also be awarded in different categories. The entry fee for participants in the show will be $20.
Several fun contests will be held in the main stage area.
The Beard and Mustache contest, sponsored by New Era Bank, will begin at 2 p.m. and first place prizes will be given out to men, ladies, and kids. A $50 prize will be awarded to the Best Cruisin’ Beard in the men’s category and a $25 prize will go to the winners in the Lady and Kid categories. Signup for this contest will be from 12:30 to 1 p.m.
The Senior Beauty Pageant, sponsored by Kindred at Home, will also be held on the main stage and will feature local ladies age 60 and over who are ready to show off their talents for a chance to be crowned Ms. Senior Park Hills 2019. After a winner is crowned in the senior pageant, the Little Miss & Mr. Cruisin’ pageant will begin. The pageant will be held on the main stage from 1 to 2 p.m.
A dog show, sponsored by PawFection Pet Grooming, will take place at 3:30 p.m. Entry fee for this contest is $10 and dogs will be judged in five categories including waggiest tail, best costume, best odd couple, prettiest girl, and most handsome boy. Grab bags will be given out to the first 25 entries.
An I Love Lucy Look-Alike Contest will take place from 4:30 to 5 p.m. on the main show stage. The contest is sponsored by Katydid’s Coffee & Vintage Treasures and the Lemonade Stand Boutique.
This year’s event is also a celebration of Park Hills’ 25th anniversary and city officials will be joining in the festivities which will include the opening of a time capsule that was buried when Park Hills was first established. Items placed in the capsule 25 years ago will be removed and new items will be placed inside. The capsule will then be reburied and is to be reopened in another 25 years.
Three city residents have been chosen to place items in the new time capsule.
A celebration of all of the many people who have volunteered at the senior center over the years will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the main stage. Buxton has been reaching out to any and all volunteers that have helped out in the past. She said that some of the past volunteers have since passed away but she would like to have a member of their family stand in their place for the recognition of their loved one’s work for the center.
The senior center would like to thank all of the individuals and businesses that have sponsored all the many events.
Cruisin’ on Main Street will begin at 6 p.m. and run until 9 p.m.
This year, to make things a little safer for cruisers, there will be a designated burn-out zone. The place to burn rubber on the strip will be the section of Main Street in front of the senior center up to the crosswalk.
The large scale event will conclude with a fireworks display sponsored by Jerry’s Fireworks.
Vehicles pack downtown Park Hills for the first Cruisin’ for a Cause event last year. The event was such a success that the Park Hills Senior Center organizers decided to bring it back in a big way and plan to make it a yearly event held the first weekend in October.
The second annual Cruisin’ for a Cause is returning Saturday to downtown Park Hills. The event this year will be far more than cars cruising up and down Main Street. Many unique attractions are planned for the all day event.
