Pierceton Days begins Friday with vendors opening their booths at noon and Beer’s and Jessop’s Company carnival rides beginning.

Among the events kicking off the weekend event is the Pierceton Farmers Market. The Pierceton Farmers Market will be set up in front of The Old Train Depot from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Registration for the car show stretches from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The fee for entry is $12 per car. Winners will be announced at 8:45 p.m. at the DJ table.

Also on Friday, at 6:30 p.m. the Incognito Cloggers will perform at the Pierceton Senior Center. Miss Pierceton and Pretty Baby contest winners will be announced at the grandstand in Brower Park at 9 p.m.

The night ends with a concert featuring classic rock band Hotline from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the park.

On Saturday, festivities begin again at 7 a.m. with a pancake and sausage breakfast at the Pierceton Fire Department that continues until 11 a.m. Donations will be accepted for the breakfast.

At 9 a.m. the P-Town Derby Kids’ Car Race and Bike Race begins. Also at 9 a.m., the Pierceton Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale gets underway outside of the library.

The Pierceton Lions Club Corn on the Cob and Melon Sale begins at 1 p.m. and lasts throughout the day.

Alice Meeks has been chosen as this year’s Grand Marshal for the Pierceton Days Parade, which steps off at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.

Meeks is a lifetime resident of Pierceton and is an active member of the community.  She is currently involved with the Pierceton Senior Citizen’s Club, Home Economics Club, Euchre Club, and is a life member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Meeks has attended the Pierceton Presbyterian Church for 65 years where she spent 50 of those years singing in the choir. Before retiring from K-Mart, Alice worked at Wilcoxon’s Key Mart in Pierceton.

In 1946, she married Junior Meeks. Together, they were blessed with two daughters and one son. Alice now has six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In November, Meeks will turn 90; her family will host a party in her honor at the old train depot 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., prior to the parade.

Lineup for the Pierceton Days Parade begins at 3 p.m. Saturday at Pierceton Elementary School and the parade begins at 4 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Day at the Zoo.” Parade awards will be announced within a half hour after the parade ends at Brower Park.

At 5 p.m., free carriage rides around town begin. Rides will be available until 9 p.m.
Weather permitting, hot air balloon rides will begin at 6 p.m. sponsored by RE/MAX and continue through 8 p.m. Look for the rainbow tethered balloon at the ball park. Donations will be accepted for a balloon ride with 100 percent of the money raised for the hot air balloon rides going to Riley Children’s Hospital.

Pierceton Days rounds out with another free concert in the park from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. that Saturday night.