Ashlyn DeVos and Brystel Kuehl helped serve up pulled pork sandwiches and loaded fries at Ivanhoe’s Polska Kielbasa Days celebrations Friday night.

IVANHOE — Things have been building up this week to Ivanhoe’s annual community festival. On Friday evening, people were lining up for local food vendors, checking out softball games and live music, and even grabbing their pickleball paddles for a tournament.

“Things have been coming together pretty good,” said Ivanhoe Community Club member Jennifer Popowski. “Friday is kind of our grand opening.”

This year Ivanhoe will be celebrating its 54th annual Polska Kielbasa days. The schedule for this weekend includes a variety of sports, music and activities geared toward all ages, organizers said.

At the Lincoln Elementary gymnasium Friday, teams were waiting their turn on the court as a pickleball tournament got underway. Quinn Otto and Ally Bednarek said they were new to the game.

“It was just a fun activity to do,” Otto said.

The variety of things to do was part of the fun of the festival, she said. “You get to see friends, and you get to walk around and see new things.” She and Bednarek were looking forward to watching the Polish Days softball tournament, too.

“It’s kind of something for everybody,” Popowski said of the festival.

Popowski said the softball tournament, which has 36 teams this year, is one of the returning events running Friday through Sunday. Some of the activities going on in Ivanhoe on Saturday include a vendor fair, free swim hours at the city pool, and a Polish ethnic food luncheon at the Ivanhoe VFW. A new addition to the festival will be inflatables at Gilson Field.

The “Polish Olympics” competition will be returning to Polska Kielbasa Days on Saturday afternoon, Popowski said.

“People seemed to enjoy it,” she said. “We just tried to make it all-ages friendly,” so more people could compete.

Saturday evening will close with fireworks at Gilson Field at dusk.

On Sunday, the fun continues with events like a classic car show, kids’ water fights, and the Polska Kielbasa Days parade. This year, the parade has the theme of “Story Books.” A tractor pull and kids’ attractions like a petting zoo and face painting will bring the festival to a close Sunday afternoon.

Organizers have been working to plan a festival that “feels like one of a kind,” while still being open to everyone, Popowski said.

“Getting the community together is really special for us,” she said. Event organizers have also been hoping to draw more of a crowd to Ivanhoe for the weekend. “We want to just get more eyes on Ivanhoe.”

Schedule of events

Saturday

8 a.m.: Fun Run/Walk 5/10 K

8-10: Pancake breakfast at Gilson Field

9: Volleyball tournament

10: Three-on-three basketball

10-2: Clueless the Balloon Twister and Friends

10-3: Vendor fair

10-3 Country Crafts open

10-6: Inflatables

11-1: Ethnic food luncheon at VFW

11-1:30: Burger feed

11:30: Chili cook-off

Noon: Knights of Columbus bingo

1: Polish Olympics

1-5:15: Free swim at Ivanhoe Pool

5-7: Puzzled Pollacks

9 p.m.-1 a.m.: Vibe Karaoke and DJ

Fireworks at dusk

Sunday

12:30 p.m.: Parade

Following parade: Pie and ice cream social, pedal tractor pull, kids’ water fights and classic car show

1-3: Mr. Twister

1-5:15: Free swim at Ivanhoe Pool

1:30: Tractor pull

1:30-3:30: Petting zoo and face painting