From left to right, 2025 Rose queen candidates Rachel Randall, Elise Streeter, Chloe Minser and Riley Randall are pictured.

STATE CENTER — Back for the 67th year, the Rose Festival celebrates the community with a variety of activities, food vendors, BBQ competition, parade and more.

Thursday kicks off festivities at 7 p.m. with the Rose Queen Pageant and Talent Show at the West Marshall High School Auditorium. This year’s candidates are Elise Streeter, Rachel Randall, Riley Randall and Chloe Minser.

Afterward at 8:30 p.m., the Kids’ Rose “Glow” Fun Run will take place at the State Center Fitness parking lot.

Friday will see the Extreme Fun Zone open at West Marshall Elementary, sponsored by UnityPoint, running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A pulled pork/rib dinner fundraiser from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. is set for the northeast corner of the Rose Garden/Third Street.

“The team Smokin Grumps, they come and they will cook the meat for us, and they normally do a pretty good job of putting together a menu — a little bit of pizzazz to it,” said board member Megan Willier.

The Kansas City Barbeque Society BBQ contest is a highlight of the festival.

“My son Schuyler is again coordinating the KidsQ,” she noted.

Teams also participate in Friday Night People’s Choice Ribs, with a $60 entry fee. KidsQ entry fee is $30, with meat provided by Iowa Pork Producers. Youth 12 and under will receive ground pork while those 13 and up will receive boneless pork chops.

Uptown Friday Teen Night on East Main Street will offer street games and campfire from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The 2025 Rose Queen Coronation is set for 7 p.m. at the Rose Garden. In the event of rain, it will take place in the high school auditorium.

Rockin’ the Rose Garden, a bring your own beer event, will go from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and feature Mike Moody & the Outlaws.

“They were here last year and we had pretty good feedback,” she said.

The Kauffman Trust will provide fireworks at dusk, in the southeast corner of town. A Movie on Main for kids and teens will follow the fireworks on East Main Street. Bring your own chair.

Saturday is chock-full of events, with the Rose Festival 5K starting at the police department at 7:30 a.m. Grab some pie at the Presbyterian Church from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., visit the Road Hog’s Bar Bloody Mary Bar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and grab a funnel cake from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A highlight of the day will be the grand parade livestreamed on KDAO from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Entries may include floats, animals, tractors, walking/performing groups, vehicles and large equipment. You may enter to win the Best Use of Roses Theme contest.

Drumline/dance post-parade performances are set for Main Street from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The SCPD’s 14th Annual Classic Car Show will take place south of Main Street with registration starting at 8 a.m. There is a $20 entry fee. There will be top 25 awards including Best of Show, Best Interior, Best Paint, Best Engine, and Best Motorcycle. Awards begin at 12:30 p.m. followed by the inaugural Rose Festival Burn Out competition. The car show supports Shop With a Cop and scholarship programs for the West Marshall community.

Watson’s Grocery Storm museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Extreme Fun Zone will continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Gutekunst Public Library will be closed on Saturday during Rose Festival.

“The library isn’t hosting anything specifically for Rose Festival, but there are activities on the library grounds organized by the Rose Festival Committee,” said Director Amelia Root. “The Friends of the Gutekunst Public Library will be having a book sale in the garage of the library (from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and will also be hosting a family friendly mini-golf tournament around town. Maps of the holes are $10 and will be available at the book sale.”

The Rose Zone will have kids’ activities at Gutekunst from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and include: free face painting, Zoops bubbles and air brush, Tulip the Clown & Friends Balloons, Lamoille Church yard games, tin can train rides, and a foam pit at 2 pm.

West Marshall baseball games at Schilling Field are set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a coed slow pitch softball tournament at Brookside Park from 10 a.m. 8 p.m. There will be a West Marshall softball tournament at the high school softball complex from 1p.m. to 8 p.m.

K-9 unit demonstrations will take place on the half hour from noon to 2 p.m. A bags tournament in front of Road Hog’s Bar is set for 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The KCBS competition awards will be announced south of the library at 3 p.m. The kids’ lip sync contest and mom/chicken/pig calling contests on Main Street will go from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The night wraps up with the Road Hog’s Bar street dance from 8 p.m. to midnight, featuring Jordan Beem.

Sunday will close Rose Festival with a community Rose Garden church service at 10 a.m.

To see a full list of events, visit: www.statecenterrosefestival.org.