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This year's festival - organized by the Paynesville Area Chamber of Commerce again - is the 55th annual event. Paynesville's community festival started in 1949 as Ice Cream Day, so named because at that time ice cream manufacturing was a leading industry in town. The name was changed to Town and Country Days in 1961 to reflect both the city and the surrounding lakes and agriculture.

The lineup for this year's five-day community celebration follows.

Saturday, June 19
On Saturday, the annual road race - 10k run, 5k run, and two-mile walk run - will be held around Lake Koronis. Registration starts at 8 a.m. at Veteran's Memorial Park, with the races starting at 9 a.m., and finishing at the park.

Sunday, June 20
On Sunday, Peeper's Picnic and car show will be held in the Gazebo Park on Washburne Avenue. The car show begins at 8 a.m., with the picnic serving from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Kids games and karaoke runs from 12 noon to 2 p.m., at which time the car show awards will be given.

The Little Miss Dairy Queen and Little Mr. Dairy Queen coronation will begin following these awards.

Monday, June 21
On Monday, the Miss Paynesville pageant will start at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Paynesville Area High School. Eight candidates - Holly Bennett, Val Callenius, Kendra Johnson, Brittany Lieser, Samantha Moser, Katie Nelson, Ashley Spanier, and Angie Wunsch - will vie to become the next Miss Paynesville. (See the candidate profiles on page 3.)

Outgoing royalty are Miss Paynesville Amy Roberg, First Princess Rachel Sogge, and Second Princess Kayla Welle. Pageant admission is $6.

Tuesday, June 22
Festivities really get going on Tuesday with the annual pet show taking place at Washburne Court starting at 9:30 a.m.

At noon, the carnival (Sam's Amusements) and food booths (Lions' hamburgers, fry bread, homemade pie, etc.) open on James Street, west of Washburne Avenue. Carnival tickets are available in advance at the Central Minnesota Federal Credit Union, Community First National Bank, Corner Drug, Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Joel's Family Foods, and Paynesville SuperValu.

The annual kiddie parade will be held on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m., with registration starting at 2:30 p.m. at Washburne Court.

On Tuesday evening, the kiddie tractor pull will be held on James Street, east of Washburne Avenue, starting at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 23
On Wednesday afternoon, the carnival - and food booths - will operate again, starting at 12 noon.

Town and Country Days will conclude with the grand parade on Wednesday evening, starting at 7 p.m. The parade - with the theme "An Evening in Paradise" - will follow the same route this year, starting in the Industrial Park, going down Washburne Avenue through downtown, running west past the elementary school on Mill Street, and ending at St. Louis Catholic Church.

The Koronis Eager Beavers 4-H Club will once again be passing out trash bags before the parade and collecting the trash after the parade. Parade goers are asked to use the bags to collect trash in their area and leave the bags on the curb for the club to collect.