Local Weather Forecast
Today: Current:91	Monday: 94/74	Tuesday: 93/72
Complete Forecast for  Jul 06 2008

MINEOLA - Things have really gone to the dogs, literally, as Mineola gets ready for another festive May Days celebration this weekend.

In addition to lots of delicious food, activities for all ages and shopping opportunities by the basketful, festival chairman Jason Henderson says a fan favorite of last year - the Dachshund Dash - will return.

"That was a big hit last year," Henderson said. "I think the Dachshund Dash has obviously gained a lot of popularity. A lot of kids like to come out and see that, so that is going to be kind of the key piece for the afternoon on Saturday.''

There will no doubt be a large group on hand to watch the wiener dogs wing their way to the finish line, but when the low-slung hounds get through competing, some hot tunes will be cranked up for the crowd.

"We are going to be bringing out Highway 101," Henderson said. "That is a pretty big act, so that is kind of a big deal."

Highway 101 held more than 15 top spots on the Billboard country charts since they began in the 1980s.

In 1988, the group won "Vocal Group of the Year" from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association.

Opening for the group is local country singer/songwriter Lauren Alexander from Bullard, who currently has a top 40 hit on the Texas country chart with "Perfume and Gasoline."

Henderson said food and shopping is also a big draw for the event each year.

"We have a lot of vendors selling twisted taters and chocolate covered habanero peppers," he said, laughing. "(We'll have) arts and crafts vendors. They've got wood works, wood crafts, there are all kinds of homemade gourmet food items, like jellies and candies jalapenos."

Wagner's Carnival will be on hand as well, and should provide thrills and chills for those in attendance.

"It is a really big carnival, much bigger than we had last year,'' Henderson said. "They have a ride called the G-force. There is only five in the entire country. It's a ride that they strap you in and it has a little bit of a free fall, so you feel a little bit of the G-force and then it picks you back up and then drops you back down.''

Also on the entertainment schedule is a jump rope show, featuring a group of rope jumpers from Mineola that has been competing across the United States, and most recently in Orlando, Fla.