Iron Horse Heritage Festival rolls into town

Pies, pets, performances and more will fill the streets of downtown Mineola Saturday for the Iron Horse Heritage Festival – a community celebration since the early 1990s.

The festival officially opens at 10 a.m., but the streets will be abuzz long before that as vendors set up along Johnson and Commerce Streets and car show registrants begin their entry.

First on tap will be the train robbery put on by the Lake Country Playhouse performers at 10:45 at the caboose.

The watermelon eating contest under the gazebo begins at 11:30.

Musical headliner the Todd Brewer Band plays from 12:30-2:30 at the gazebo.

The pie baking contest will be announced at 1:30, followed by the car show awards at 1:45 and a Mineola League of the Arts event.

The cutest pet contest will be awarded at 2 p.m. next to the weenie dog race track.

Dance Dimensions teams will offer their routines from 2-3 p.m. in front of the gazebo.

The dance studio also helps kick off the day’s events with a fun run at the Mineola Nature Preserve at 8 a.m.

Capping the event will be the weenie dog races from 3-4 p.m.

The Mineola Fire Dept. will be set up to demonstrate rescue equipment, and Blue Line Mobile Jelly Ball will be on hand for some fun.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. will also have its Operation Game Thief trailer set up.

Following the festival, a kids’ sneak preview of the Annex of Terror at 119 N. Johnson can be viewed.

Dance Dimensions in Mineola hosts its annual benefit, the Rhythm Run, Saturday, Sept. 27 at the Mineola Nature Preserve in conjunction with the Iron Horse Heritage Festival in downtown Mineola.

Proceeds from the kids fun run and 5K assist the dance teams with their travel expenses for national competitions. Races begin at 8:30 and 9 a.m. respectively.

Links for registration can be found on the chamber of commerce and city of Mineola websites, as well as Dance Dimensions website or stop by the studio on NW Loop 564.