By VIRGI LASKA – Stockton Sentinel

The Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Inaugural Peony Festival is blossoming into a weekend of family-friendly fun for everyone! The dates for the event have been set for Saturday, May 20th and Sunday, May 21st with dozens of events scheduled throughout the two-day flower fest!
It all starts off at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 20th with a Peony Power Push down at the Stockton High School track. This event is sponsored by the Stockton Fitness Center, so start your day with a workout with director Bridget Starbuck!
From 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Cheryl Hrabe will be hosting a hay bale gardening display with instructions at Webster’s Greenhouse by the Deli. And while the grownups are at this event, the youngsters can cross the street to enjoy the Kids Games, which will be held at the Stockton Medical Center parking lot starting at 9:00 a.m. Sigma Phi ESA members will be on hand to conduct the games.
American Peony Society Representative Kent Tretheway will be at Twig & Vine from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a presentation at 10:00 a.m.
Then at 10:30 a.m. entrants will start lining up for the parade with the theme; “Peony—The Farmstead Favorite,” which will begin at 11:00 a.m. The parade route will start at Cypress Street and head east down Main Street through the 600 Block before ending at the Solomon Valley Manor. Be sure to have the kids decorate their bikes and enter the Popsicle Parade that will lead the way!
In the afternoon, head to the Stockton City Hall for Kids Gardening activities by Andrea Dix. She will be presenting at 1:00 p.m. and again at 3:00 p.m. K-State Research & Extension Agent Rachael Boyle will give a Landscaping Flower Gardens presentation at 1:30 p.m. with Kent Tretheway scheduled to give an American Peony Society presentation at 2:00 p.m.
And for a little bit of fun and nonsense, pick up a brochure at City Hall for the “Tour de Coop,” self-guided tours to five locations of backyard chicken coops between the hours of 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Another brochure that will be available at City Hall will be for a Barn Quilt Project Tour for those who would like to drive or walk around town and see the many painted quilts blocks hanging on the sides of houses and fences in the community. (The Barn Quilt Tour is an ongoing tour throughout the year, so brochures will always be available at the Stockton Public Library, the Chamber Office at 420 Main, and many of the Chamber businesses.)
Events that will be ongoing throughout the day will include vendors on Main Street, a craft fair in the VFW Banquet Room, a Palco Art Club Founders display at Sand Creek Mercantile, and the coloring quilt block project at Stitch and Chatter. Also, get your chance to win the first Peony Festival Quilt; several Chamber businesses have raffle tickets on sale now! And don’t forget the jam session starting at 8:00 p.m. on the front lawn of the M Motel on Saturday evening! Bring your own chair!
Afternoon events scheduled for Sunday, May 21st will start off at 1:30 p.m. with the Children’s Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest on Main Street and by the Rooks County Museum. Then at 2:00 p.m. Dr. Johnella Holmes of Nicodemus will present an Agriculture Camp Program at the museum. The Historical Society’s monthly meeting will follow.
And remember, reservations are required for the High Tea at the Stockton Public Library Carnegie Room, which will begin at 3:00 p.m. This society event is sponsored by Twig & Vine with paid reservations to be made at the establishment by May 14th.
For more information on any of these events please call the Chamber office at 785-415-2081 or visit their Facebook at Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce and “like” their page to receive for updates.
Let’s hope the peonies planted around town cooperate and are in full bloom for this festive occasion that is sure to grow bigger every year!
(Please look for and cut out the Chamber’s schedule of events in their ad in this week’s edition.)