Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Ellendale Days festival will be bigger than ever as the town celebrates their 125th anniversary this Thursday through Sunday.

The festival will kick off Thursday with the city’s annual taco feed and music by the Dan Stursa Band followed by a meat raffle.

On Friday there will be food vendors and rummage sales throughout the day. There will also be a sidewalk chalk art contest, pork chop supper at the community building, a performance by Shasta Kings and T-ball and coach-pitch games. The band Steele Prairie, featuring hometown native Jack Schultz, will take the big stage that night.

Saturday will be the busiest day of the festival with a car show at United Methodist Church with food provided by the Ellendale Lion’s Club. There will also be a 10U girls fastpitch softball tournament, a vendor show and food vendors, a beanbag tournament, bounce houses and a balloon artist.

The Ellendale Days Grand Parade, sponsored by the Lions Club, will begin at 4 p.m., followed by a mini carnival for all ages. There will be smashburgers at the VFW/Ellendale Legion and an old-time concert by the Albert Lea Community Band. The evening will close with a youth dance at the community building and a firefighters’ street dance with music by Shirts and Skins.

The event will wrap up Sunday with a Lions Club pancake breakfast and a tractor pull with food provided by the Lions Club food wagon. The festival will close that morning with a community worship service at the city park followed by lunch.

Guests are asked to bring their own chairs for the Albert Lea Band concert and the community worship service and lunch. Wristbands for the bounce houses are $10

Thursday

• 5 p.m.: Tacos behind RJ’s on 5th Ave Bar & Grill
• 5-8 p.m.: Dan Stursa on the patio stage (behind the bar)
• 6 p.m.: Meat raffle

Friday

• All day: food vendors and garage sales around town
• 2 p.m.: Sidewalk chalk art contest
• 5-7 p.m.: Pork chop supper at the community building
• 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Shasta Kings on the patio stage
• 6 p.m.: T-ball and coach-pitch games at the softball fields
• 8:45 p.m.-12:45 a.m.: Steele Prairie band on big stage

Saturday

• All day: food vendors and garage sales around town
• 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Car show at the United Methodist Church
• 10 a.m.: 10U girls fastpitch softball tournament
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Craft and vendor show on 2nd Street
• 10 a.m.: Bean bag tournament behind the bar
• 11 a.m.-7 p.m.: Bounce houses open at the lot south of the post office
• 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Balloon artist next to the bounce houses
• 4 p.m.: Ellendale Days Grand Parade
• 5-7 p.m.: Mini carnival for all ages near the bounce houses
• 5 p.m.: Smashburgers at the VFW/Ellendale Legion
• 6-7 p.m.: Ole’ time concert by the Albert Lea Community Band on 2nd Street
• 7-9 p.m.: Youth dance at the community building
• 8 p.m.-midnight: Firemen’s street dance featuring Shirts and Skins band

Sunday

• 8 a.m.-1 p.m.: Lions Club pancake breakfast at United Methodist Church
• 9 a.m.: Tractor pull at the bus garage lot
• 10 a.m.: Community worship service at city park