For the 85th year, the city of Tracy is celebrating its historical beginnings as a railroad town with its annual Box Car Days this weekend.
The event will feature a lot of activities back by popular demand: softball, mud volleyball and Texas Hold 'em tournaments, as well as some new attractions.
"There's a couple of new events we're really excited about this year," said Missie Erbes, executive director of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce. "We're having a street dance on Saturday featuring the band Hicktown Mafia. There'll be absolutely no cover charge."
On Sunday, the Miss Tracy Scholarship Program will be at 6:30 p.m. followed by a fireworks display.
"We have 16 contestants this year," Erbes said, "the most we've had in a long time."
For a special 85th Box Car days surprise, the Tracy Area High School FFA cut a corn maze into a field north of Tracy Elementary School.
"There'll be a special Family Fun Day for families to go through the corn field on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.," Erbes said. "And if anybody is flying in on Sunday, we urge them to take a pass that way and check it out from the air."
Another highlight of the weekend is the antique tractor show that kicks off with a tractor drive at 4 p.m. today and runs both Saturday and Sunday near the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum. A threshing demonstration will take place at 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday. Other demonstrations include corn picking/shelling at 10:45 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. and silage cutting at 11:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Sunday's slate has an 11 a.m. threshing demonstration, corn picking/shelling at noon and 4:40 p.m. and silage cutting at 12:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
Today
5 p.m. Tracy Area Chamber of Commerce Burger Night
7 p.m. Beer pong tournament
Saturday
Annual Labor Day "400 Open" golf tournament
Annual softball tournament
9:30 a.m. Old-fashioned Kids Day
10 a.m. Kiddie parade
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Magician shows
2 p.m. Texas Hold 'em tournament
8 p.m.-midnight Street dance with Hicktown Mafia
Sunday
Annual softball tournament
10 a.m. Mud volleyball tournament at The Caboose Restaurant
10 a.m. Horseshoe tournament
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Family Fun Day
2 p.m. Texas Hold 'em tournament
6:30 p.m. Miss Tracy Scholarship Program
10 p.m. (approximately) Fireworks
Monday
7-11 a.m. Fly-in/drive-in breakfast
8 a.m. Box Car Day Road Race
9 a.m.-4 p.m. St. Mary's arts and crafts fair
9 a.m.-4 p.m. St. Mary's food stand
1 p.m. Grand parade
3 p.m. Tracy pigeon race
Every day
Bingo stand, beer garden, with new VIP lounge
Wheels Across the Prairie Museum open
Antique tractor show
Midwest rides and concessions