Blackburn will celebrate its 128th anniversary on Saturday, June 23, in Hawaiian style.

The event kicks with a horseshoe tournament at the Blackburn Pond Horseshoe Courts sponsored by the Blackburn Horseshoe League. Sign-up will begin at 1 p.m. and the entry fee is $10 per person. The limit is 20 teams and all proceeds will go to the league. The payback will be 50 percent.

The league will also be sponsoring a washers tournament at 7 p.m. with the same fee and limit as the horseshoe tournament. Payback is yet to be decided, organizers said.

At 4 p.m., the traditional Blackburn turtle race will take place at the City Park for participants of all ages. Most turtles will qualify, but no snapping turtles are allowed. Fred Eberle is in charge of the event.

Carol Dial, secretary of Blackburn Community Builders, said the turtle races have been going on for some time.

"Oh goodness. I know it has been going on since the early 1970s and maybe the late 1960s. However, it hasn't gone on consistently," she said.

Children's games will also begin at 4 p.m. and include the Limbo, Rolling Stones, a sack race and Tacky Tourist Relay.

Dial said that Rolling Stones is "a game that has been played at luaus since way, way, back when."

She said she looked it up on the Internet and found that Rolling Stones is an ancient Hawaiian game similar to horseshoes. A small post will be set up in the ground and each participant will chose a stone and toss it at the post. Whomever's stone lands closest to the stick wins.

Tacky Tourist Relay involves a Hawaiian shirt, big pair of sunglasses, a big party hat and a three person team, Dial said.

The first person will run to the pile of Hawaiian attire and put the first item on. That person will then run back and give that item to the second person, she said. The second person will run down and get another item to put on.

The second person returns and gives the items to the third person. The third person puts the two items on and runs to the last item.

The last individual puts the item on and runs back. The first one done wins, Dial said. Kay Mueller is in charge of the children's games.

"There will also be a large monkey piņata for the children," she said.

BCB will host a luau feast at the park at 6 p.m. Brisket, pork tenderloin and drinks will be provided.

This is a carry-in dinner. Attendees are invited to wear their Hawaiian attire and to bring their own lawn chair.

Entertainment will be provided by community children dancing hula dances. These children have been practicing after school with Janice Langan and Kinsey Crutchfield, Dial said.

Dial said, around 7:30 p.m. Sekeliario dancers, both male and female, from Independence will provide more entertainment by dancing the dance of three islands.

"Senator Bill Stouffer is expected to attend the event this year," Dial said.

For more information, contact Dial at (660) 538-4610.

Contact Rachel Harper at

marshallcity@socket.net