The schedule for Chadron’s 46th Fur Trade Days celebration picks up speed today with a full day of Family-Fun activities.
Fur Trade Days spokesman Miles Bannan says up first are events at the Library: the 2nd annual Chess Tournament at 10:00 and a Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest at noon.
Two activities start at 12:30. Bannan says at the Downtown Plaza, it’s the Puzzle Pieces Historical Scavenger Hunt.
At the same time at the Courthouse lawn will be an educational show on birds of prey by the Black Hills Raptor Center of Rapid City, whose mission is to conserve and protect native raptors and their natural habitat through education, rehabilitation, and research.
The Raptor Center shows include live hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey brought to it for rehab.
Bannan says the birds will be followed at 2:00 at the Library by Games of Yesterday and at the Courthouse lawn by a return visit from the String Beans, a musical group that was a huge hit with kids last year.
4:00 sees the opening of the Traders Market at the Courthouse and a Historic Walking Tour of Chadron Avenue and 2nd Street, while 5:00 brings one of the most popular Fur Trade Days activities – the carnival.
Mac’s Carnival returns this year with 14 rides and a midway, again on the 100 and 200 blocks of Bordeaux and East 2nd. Bannan says it’s a mix of new and old.
$20 vouchers remain available for a $5 savings on 5-hour, all-ride wristbands. Hours for the Carnival are 5:00-midnight tonight and tomorrow and noon-5:00 on Sunday.
Wrapping up the Family Fun activities tonight from 9:00-midnight is free bowling at Hilltop Lanes for Youngsters under the age of 20. Each one can get one free game.
     Music fills tonight’s schedule starting with the Classics in the Park Cruise Night. Everyone can enjoy some great cruisin’ music on KCSR and KBPY from 5:00-7:00.Â
       Headquarters for the Cruise is again at the FNBO parking lot across from Safeway with giveaways donated by a number of area businesses. After the Cruise, Classics in the Park has a Park and Show – also across from Safeway.Â
The Nebraska National Guard’s award-winning 43rd Army Band completes an 8-day, 7-performance tour with a free concert at the Courthouse Gazebo. Fur Trade Days President Dave Hockenberry is excited to welcome the band to Chadron.
The tour serves as the required two-week summer training deployment for the members of the band.
There’s more music after the band with the first of 2 nights of street dances downtown from 9:00-midnight.. Miles Bannan thinks everybody’s going to love Brianna Helbling.
Most of the 100 and 200 blocks of Main Street and 2nd Street are closed to traffic from noon today until noon Sunday for the concerts
The closed area is also Chadron’s giant beer garden with alcohol allowed outside, but only in special Fur Trade Days cups. Bannan says it’s a good deal for everyone.
Bannan says the Fur Trade Days cups also have the advantage of reducing litter and cleanup time since they don’t generate discarded empty containers outdoors.