Benton City Daze celebrates 26 years of fun

Load up the kids in the car and help Benton City celebrate 26 years of community fun at its annual Benton City Daze festival Sept. 11-13.

A street dance kicks things off Sept. 11 starting at 7 p.m. with mariachi music followed by the rhythmic sounds of Big Daddy and the Night Crawlers.

Organizers came up with the theme, Pride in the Blue, for this year's event to pay homage to Ki-Be High School's colors and a recent renovation.

On Sept. 12, a series of daylong events begin at 7 a.m. with a breakfast served at the Community Center at City Park in the downtown area. Breakfast is a mixed menu and prices vary.

The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Ki-Be Middle School and travels through downtown.

The Benton City Little Miss contest starts at noon followed by a talent show and karaoke. The bed races start at 5 p.m. on Dale Avenue downtown.

Other events include a zucchini bake-off, skateboarding exhibition, petting farm, bingo and prize drawings.

Rodeo action starts at 6:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds, 38804 Hayes Road, off the Old Inland Empire Highway, where there will be an evening of barrel racing and other rodeo events. Admission is $7 or $20 for a family of four.

On Sept. 13, a Family Fun Day starts at 10 a.m. at the fairgrounds. There will be a bounce house, dunk tank and other games for the kids. There is no admission charge.

For more information, call Heather Duncan at 588-6959.

Schedule of events

Sept. 11

-- 6:30 p.m. -- Cow penning at Jr. rodeo grounds off Hayes Road

-- 7-11 p.m. -- Street Dance on Ninth Street.

Sept. 12

-- 7-11 a.m. -- Breakfast at Community Center at City Park.

-- 8-9:30 a.m. -- Parade staging at Benton City middle school.

-- 9 a.m. -- Parade judging.

-- 9 a.m.-1 p.m. -- Community market at Ninth Street, between The Palm nightclub and Shadow Mountain Grill.

-- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. -- Arts & crafts vendors at City Park.

-- 9 a.m.-1 p.m. -- Zucchini bake-off entries accepted at Community Center.

-- 10 a.m. -- Parade starts at Ninth Street

-- 11 a.m. -- Bar-B-Q at Community Center at City Park

-- Noon-9 p.m. -- Bingo at Community Center

-- Noon -- Little Miss Benton City contest at City Park stage

-- 12:30 p.m. -- Variety show at City Park stage

-- 1-5 p.m. -- Skate exhibition at skate park

-- 3 p.m. -- Zucchini bake-off judging at Community Center

-- 5 p.m. -- Bed races on Dale Avenue next to City Park

-- 5-8 p.m. -- Karaoke at City Park

-- 6:30 p.m. -- Barrel racing and bull riding at Jr. fair and rodeo grounds

Sept. 13

-- 7:30 a.m. -- Family fun day at fairgrounds on Hayes Road.

*Dori O'Neal: 582-1514; doneal@tricityherald.com