Mendon Riverfest registration

Organizers of this weekend’s Mendon Riverfest have issued a reminder that many of the activities set to take place during the three-day celebration require advance registration.

The festival’s website has sign-up forms for prospective participants in the Riverfest parade, its arts and crafts exhibit, Saturday’s Hornet Hustle 5K run, a fishing tournament, canoe swamp, canoe race, kayak race and Thursday’s opening-night lip-sync contest.

Cash prizes are available for many of the events, but advance registration is required.

Registration forms may be downloaded from the website mendonriverfest.com.

Millage renewal passes

Two county millage renewal requests and an additional renewal request in White Pigeon Township were approved during Tuesday’s primary election.

The countywide votes saw the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging earn a six-year renewal of three-quarters of a mill. In addition, three-quarters of a mill renewal for six years was granted to the county E-911 central dispatch.

Both renewals, which passed with support from about 75 percent of voters, were for basic operations and will generate about $1.1 million annually for each entity.

Meanwhile, White Pigeon Township Library will continue to receive about $60,000 a year for four years starting in 2013, after voters in its jurisdiction agreed to renew three-tenths of a mill.

The request was approved by a 4-to-1 margin.

75th Abbott’s Magic Get-Together Successful

The 75th Abbott’s Magic Get-Together in Colon concluded Saturday, and organizers of the four-day celebration say the milestone celebration was an overwhelming success.

Greg Bordner, president of Abbott’s Magic, said participants and spectators from seven countries and nearly 40 states took part in the celebration. Though the event is staged as a convention for performers in the world of magic and illusion, the nightly showcase performances at Colon High School proved to be a popular attraction for the general public.

Bordner said each of the four nightly shows and a Saturday benefit performance drew more than 1,000 people.

Colon and Colon-area merchant also welcomed the event, as business at local gas stations and restaurants was solid, Colon village officials said.

St. Joseph County’s next community festival kicks off Aug. 16, when the Mendon Riverfest starts its three-day run and stages a milestone celebration of its own; 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the village celebration.

4th Annual Burr Oak Heritage Festival

The fourth annual Burr Oak Heritage Festival is set to kick off Friday.

The three-day event in St. Joseph County’s smallest incorporated community has a number of entertaining events, including a vintage baseball game between the Burr Oak Bandits and Sturgis Biscuits Friday night, a parade Saturday morning, fireworks Saturday night, and a community church service and picnic Sunday.

Patty Seeba, a member of the Burr Oak Heritage Festival Committee, said the lineup of events this year is the most comprehensive in the short life of the village’s community celebration.

Other events include port-a-potty races, a soap-box derby, a pizza-eating contest a display of old-fashioned farm machinery and plenty of live music.

Presentation tonight in Sturgis

The Sturgis Council of the Arts is presenting a series of three different summer-stock plays by the Central Michigan University Performing Arts Department.

The first presentation is tonight.

Council of the Arts members said the new program is aimed at providing arts and entertainment opportunities to area residents during the summer.

Tonight at 7:30, “I Hate Hamlet” will be performed. Friday night’s presentation is “See Rock City” and Saturday’s show is titled “Completely Hollywood.”

Full descriptions of the two comedies and one drama are available on the Council of the Arts website, at sturgisarts.com.

Covered Bridge Days a success

Organizers of the annual Centreville Covered Bridge Days said mild weather and large crowds helped make the 2012 event a success.

The two-day event, which concluded Saturday, featured a well-attended fireworks display Friday, a classic car show Saturday that drew 167 vehicles, a large crowd to see Spike and the Bulldogs concert on Main Street and hundreds of people watching the event-ending parade.

Carole McClain, chair of the Covered Bridge Days Committee, said craft and food vendors also reported strong sales.

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