FLYING FLAPJACKS!
Pancake and sausage breakfasts among top draws as Maple Syrup Festival begins
For those who want a little entertainment with their pancakes and sausage, the famed Chris Cakes crew will be slinging hotcakes Saturday at the Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival.
Pancake and sausage meals, served at Shepherd High School, are always the top draw at the annual festival, which features pure maple syrup made by village volunteers to fund parks and youth programs.
This year the two-time flapjack-flipping Chris Cakes will be tossing the pancakes to hungry customers from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday.
Shepherd’s annual Maple Syrup Festival, which runs through Sunday, got underway Thursday.
Before we get into the list, here are midway carnival details:
• Today: 1-11 pm $22
• Saturday, April 23: 12-11 pm $25 • Sunday, April 24: 12-8 pm $22
Thursday events and activities included:
• Helicopter rides at Salt River Park
• The Midway Carnival at Shepherd Public Schools Athletic Field
• Pony rides at the corner of 4th and E. Wright Avenue
• A talent show at Shepherd High School Auditorium Events for today:
• Helicopter rides at Salt River Park from noon to 8 p.m.
• The Midway Carnival at Shepherd Public Schools Athletic Field from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Pony rides at the corner of 4th and E. Wright Avenue from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• An Arts & Crafts Show at Shepherd High School from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Emergency Vehicle Parade will start around 9 p.m. and will go from Wright Avenue to Chippewa Avenue.
• Lion’s Club Bingo will occur from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Shepherd Bar & Restaurant in the Maple Leaf Room.
• Pancake & Sausage Meals will be going on at the Shepherd High School Cafeteria from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dine-in and pick-up options are available and attendees can pay online or cash at the door. Pricing includes ages 11 and over at $9, ages 5-10 at $5, and ages 4 and under are free.
• Sugar Bush Open House and syrup sales will be going on from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday events:
• Helicopter rides from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Salt River Park.
• The Midway Carnival at Shepherd Public Schools Athletic Field from noon to 11 p.m. Pony rides at the corner of 4th and E. Wright Avenue from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• An Arts & Crafts Show at Shepherd High School from 9 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Lion’s Club Bingo will occur from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Shepherd Bar & Restaurant in the Maple Leaf Room.
• Pancake & Sausage Meals will be going on at the Shepherd High School Cafeteria from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dine-in and pick-up options are available and attendees can pay online or cash at the door. Pricing includes ages 11 and over at $9, ages 5-10 at $5, and ages 4 and under are free. Gluten free pancakes are available from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Sugar Bush Open House and syrup sales will be going on from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• A 5K Run/walk will start at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium. The race starts at 8 a.m. and the Kids Fun Run starts at 9 a.m.
• The Central Michigan Area Concert Band will be performing at Shepherd High Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Children’s Village will be going on at the Shepherd Elementary Gym from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees can enjoy carnival style games, prizes, and face painting.
• A Classic Car & Truck Show will be going on from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants can enter from 9 a.m. to noon, and potentially win trophies for best in show, best truck, sponsor awards, and top 20 cars. Monique Doolittle will be providing Live entertainment during the event.
• A Country Neighbors 4-H Petting Zoo will be going on Shepherd United Methodist Church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendees can visit the animals and support 4-H Club by feeding the animals, donating and shopping baked goods for the bake sale, and dropping off bottle returns.
• A horse pull will be going at Shepherd Community Park at 2 p.m.
• A tractor pull will be going on beside Little Salt River Park at 10 a.m.
• The Train Depot Museum at 402 W. Wright Avenue will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Events for Sunday:
• Helicopter rides at Salt River Park starting at 9 a.m.
• The Midway Carnival at Shepherd Public Schools Athletic Field from noon to 8 p.m.
• Pony rides at the corner of 4th and E. Wright Avenue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• An Arts & Crafts Show at Shepherd High School from 9 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• Pancake & Sausage Meals will be going on at the Shepherd High School Cafeteria from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dine-in and pick-up options are available and attendees can pay online or cash at the door. Pricing includes ages 11 and over at $9, ages 5-10 at $5, and ages 4 and under are free.
A Pancake Eating Contest will also be going on at 9 a.m.
• Sugar Bush Open House and syrup sales will be going on from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Train Depot Museum at 402 W. Wright Avenue will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• A Parade will be going on from Wright Avenue to Chippewa Avenue at 2:30 p.m. The theme of the parade is ‘Hollywood.’
• A Garden Tractor Pull on concrete will be going on at 11:30 a.m. on the west side of Little Salt River Park. Registration is open from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• A Garden Pull on Dirt will also be going on at Shepherd Community Park from noon to 5 p.m. Registration begins at 11 a.m.