Melon Fest ripe with fun activities

MILAN — This Labor Day weekend, the Milan Melon Festival will make its much-anticipated return for its 69th anniversary. The festival opens on Friday night with select food vendors ready to serve customers. From Saturday to Monday, people can participate in time-honored events and watch special entertainers on and around the main stage in Milan Village Square. There will be vendors, rides, games, music and the fan-favorite Toft Dairy cantaloupe ice cream and watermelon sherbet available to purchase. Many of the proceeds from food and drink sales support Edison Schools' sports and extracurriculars. Edison students are involved in running booths for various school programs, including selling ice cream, lemon shake-ups, corn-on-the-cob, and more. As a bonus, businesses in and around the square will be open for festival attendees. Want to go? Planning on attending? All events take place in and around the main stage in Milan Village Square unless otherwise noted: Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Friends of the Library book sale in Milan Public Library's basement 6-10 p.m. – Select food vendors open Saturday • 8:00-9:45 a.m. — Baby contest registration at info booth • 8-11 a.m. — Pancake breakfast at St. Anthony Catholic Church • 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Car show at A-Field, across from Edison Elementary School, with music by Jarett Burns • 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Friends of the Library book sale in Milan Public Library's basement • 10 a.m. — Festival opens; Baby contest • 3-5:30 p.m. — Outdated View to perform • 6 p.m. — Edison band concert • 7 p.m. — Queens contest; Event will move to Milan Township Hall if it's raining. • 8:30-11 p.m. — Ten Talents to perform • 11 p.m. — Festival closes Sunday • 9 a.m. — Edison Methodist Church service; The service will move inside the church if it's raining. • 11 a.m. — Festival opens, firefighters chicken barbecue • Noon — Count Me In dance exhibit • 2 p.m. – Grand parade with Jeff ¨Sipe¨Geason as grand marshal • 5-7 p.m. — Aligned to perform • 8-11 p.m. Clique Band to perform • 11 p.m. — Festival closes Monday • All-day — Watermelon rock garden • 7:30 a.m. — 5K & Fun Run sponsored by Fisher-Titus; Registration and packet pickup occurs at Edison Elementary School, 140 S. Main St., Milan. • 8:30 a.m.— 1-mile Fun Run begins • 9 a.m. — 53rd-annual 5K begins; Registration opens for kiddie tractor pull. • 10 a.m. — Festival opens; Kiddie tractor pull • 11:30 a.m. — Edison High School cheerleaders exhibit • Noon to 1:30 p.m. — Melon-Thon • 2:30-5:00 p.m. — Dauzat St. Marie • 6 p.m. — Festival closes