Make sure to bring the family to the Annual Park’s Department Touch a Truck event today from 9 to noon. It will be held in the Common’s parking lot across from the post office, with overflow vehicles parked between Main and Johnson on Elm Street. This year, we are trying something new by offering a sensory-sensitive hour from 9-10 a.m., where we ask participants to refrain from blowing the horns on the trucks. If your child enjoys the opportunity to toot the horn, plan to stop by after 10 a.m. This drop-in event is free and open to the public. An adult must accompany the children.
The 50th Parlor City Trot is set for 7:30 a.m. next Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. In addition to the 13.1-mile Half-Marathon, the Trot event will include a 10-kilometer run and a 5-kilometer run. The course is flat and fast and winds through the streets of Bluffton, Ouabache State Park, and along the Wabash River on the scenic River Greenway.
We welcome runners and walkers of all speeds to the Parlor City Trot. The half-marathon has a 4-hour time limit to give volunteers and the City of Bluffton some certainty about time commitments and the start and ending of street closures. Please be respectful of our time limit. An early start at 6:30 a.m. is available for runners who may not make the 4-hour time limit. Early starters are eligible for age-group awards but not overall awards. Please message the race organizers through the registration system or at sports@blufftonindiana.gov if you are interested.
Packet Pickup begins at 6:15 a.m. at the Bluffton City Gym on race morning. The starting line for the races will be on Main Street at the intersection with Walnut Street near the Wells County Courthouse. The finish line is on River Road at Pickett’s Run Park. There will be overall, master and age group awards for all race distances. The race is also part of the Fort Wayne Running Club’s point series. The 13.1-mile half marathon costs $45, the 10K is $40, and the 5K is $30. Register online at https://raceroster.com/events/2024/82437/parlor-city-trot.
Nerf Wars will be held at the Bluffton City Gym on Thursday, Sept. 5, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for Boys and Girls Ages 5-16. You must pre-register for this event by emailing events@blufftonindiana.gov or calling 824-6069; only 30 kids, max. The cost is $1 per child (payment due the day of the event, exact change preferred). Please bring your Nerf weapons and eye protection; we have the ammo covered.
Hue Can Paint is not just a canvas painting class; it’s a fun and engaging learning experience for youth ages seven and up. On Monday, September 30th, lessons will be held at Washington Park Indoor Pavilion (710 S. Mulberry St.) from 6-7:45 p.m. Kids will enjoy the step-by-step instructions from a local artist to paint a one-of-a-kind creation to take home. The cost is only $15 per person and includes all supplies and instructions. To register, call 824-6069 or e-mail events@blufftonindiana.gov; space is limited to the first 12 pre-registered participants.
The next Theater Thursday will feature the movie Ordinary Angels, rated PG, on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Wells County Public Library at 10 a.m. A struggling hairdresser finds a renewed sense of purpose when she meets a widowed father working hard to care for his two daughters. With his youngest critically ill and waiting for a liver transplant, the fierce woman single-handedly rallies an entire community to help.
The Splash Pad season is winding down, so let’s make the most of it! Be sure to visit next week and over Labor Day weekend to enjoy playing in the water. The hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Have a great week!
