The Princeton Chamber of Commerce met on June 21 at the Mercer County Senior Center to make more plans for Calamity Jane Days.
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The Fourth of July Tractor Cruise was discussed. The cruise will start at 1 p.m. at the Mercer County Fair Grounds and head north to Lineville. It will loop through Pearl’s II as it leaves and again as it returns. They plan to go through Mercer between 2 and 3 p.m., then head north to Lineville, where they will circle the square, then stop at Randy’s for water and return to Princeton, where they will park the tractors on the square. The riders will have supper at the Princeton Courthouse Centennial Celebration. Afterward, they will park the tractors at the Princeton School for the evening’s festivities, which begin at 5:30 p.m. with a Stacy BBQ fundraiser, followed by free watermelon provided by the Chamber at 6:30 p.m. The program will begin at 7 p.m. in front of the school maintenance building with prayer, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Boy Scouts. The Dance Studio dancers will perform, Nate Walker, candidate for state representative; Diana Blunk, candidate for assessor; Shane Grooms, candidate for county commissioner; and Caroline Sealine. candidate for public administrator will speak. Other speakers may be added.
Musical performers will be Felisha Bertrand, Janet Searcy, Brad Bruse and Chuck and Kenna Herdrich. Fireworks will begin at dark.
On the Friday of Calamity Jane Days, the American Farmer tractors cruise will be coming into the square at 4 p.m. That evening there will be a fundraiser supper for the Chamber in the Senior Center and the public is invited to come and eat and look at the tractors which will be parked on the square. There will be an old-fashioned country music band on the square. Work is continuing on the kids tractor pull, quilt show, pie contest and the selection of a grand marshall.
The National Guard will have blow up games on the west side of the square. There will be a ranch rodeo on Friday night with Darrell Shelton in charge. The annual Dick Franklin softball tournament will be held on Friday night and Saturday.
In other business, Matt Krohn has drawn up a lease for the Cow Palace. It was discussed and decided to send it back to have some questions addressed. Anyone using the Cow Palace will be required to sign the new lease.
Operation Panda, a benefit for Wounded EOD Warriors will take place on the square on July 21. It will begin at 10 a.m. with a Poker Run. That evening there will be a BBQ, a pie auction, music, a raffle and a regular auction. The Divas will be having a show that afternoon with a raffle being held and the proceeds going to Wounded Warriors.
The community garage sale will be held the evening of Aug. 2 and the morning of Aug. 4. There will be sidewalk sales and other activities on the square. There is no charge for anyone setting up a booth on the square. The afternoon of Aug. 4 is the Past Calamity Jane Queen Tea. That evening the pageant will be held at the Methodist Church. This is the 50th Pageant, so all past queens will be honored.
The next scheduled meeting will be held at the Senior Center on Wednesday, July11.