Soon Logan County will be pulsing with activity as it gets set to kick off its Tobacco & Heritage Festival – a staple for the county for the past 52 years.

A slew of activities are in place to make the week-long festival its best. Starting today with Family Health Fest at Logan Memorial Hospital, the festival will feature food, crafts, tours of historic Russellville and entertainment throughout the week – culminating Oct. 11 with a parade and more activities.

“It’s just a great community event, great time for the community to get together,” said Holli Brown, festival chairwoman. “It’s also a way for people who’ve moved away to come back … a great time to have a homecoming and highlight what our community is all about.

“There are many events going on, so there is something for everybody.”

Saturday’s events kick off with the Jesse James 5K run and walk, where runners and walkers will compete on a course through the streets of historic Russellville. Registration, which is $18, will be from 6:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. and the race will begin at 8 a.m. The awards ceremony will start at 9 a.m.

A kiddie parade will begin at 11 a.m. Registration begins at 10 a.m. at the parking lot at Main and Third streets. Children can make chalk drawings at 11:30 a.m. at Parks and Recreation, 190 S. Winter St., or they can stroll over to U.S. Bank to enjoy an inflatable moon walk, games, activities and prizes.

To jump-start the day, a pancake breakfast will be served from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Logan County High School. Sponsored by the Logan County Athletic Booster Club, tickets for the generous plate of pancakes and sausage are $5 at the door. But breakfast won’t be the only meal cooking, as a county cuisine cook-off is set to take place. Dishes for the cook-off can be dropped off at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce between 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Judging will begin at 3 p.m. and winners will be announced at 5 p.m.

All dishes must be registered by 4 p.m. Friday.

In addition to the Historic Walking Tour – which also takes place at 2 p.m. Tuesday and 10 a.m. Oct. 9 – and the eighth annual Cruise-In from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the square in Russellville, at 1 p.m. beside the chamber of commerce, teams of two will be competing for monetary prizes in its first ever Cornhole Classic.

“Cornhole seems to be growing in popularity every day,” Brown said.

First-place winner will receive $300, second-place winner will get $200 and the third-place team will win $100.

Russellville will again pull out the Logan County Aluminum Trolley for rides throughout historic Russellville between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Brown said. The trolley will pick up its passengers at the Logan County Chamber of Commerce, and for a slight charge, take passengers on a 30-minute ride through Russellville history.

The other events are “tried and true things everyone looks forward to each year,” Brown said.

Tours of Russellville’s historic Maple Grove Cemetery will be at 5:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Oct. 9. Tuesday brings Taster’s Luncheon at the Methodist Temple. Three seatings will begin at 11 a.m. Tickets are $8 and must be purchased in advance by calling (270) 726-6302.

Pet owners can show off their pets at a contest Tuesday at the City-County Park. Registration begins at 5 p.m. with the donation of a canned food item. Carnival rides kick off Wednesday and are open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Oct. 10. They will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Oct. 11. The rides will be at 113 Armory Drive and are $15 for Wednesday and Oct. 9, and $18 for Oct. 10-11 individual tickets.

The Miss Logan County Tobacco and Heritage Festival queen will be chosen Oct. 9 at deGraffenried Auditorium beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $3 for anyone over 14, $1 for ages 5 through 14 and free for those under 5. Entry forms are at the chamber of commerce and must be turned in by today.

A plethora of activities are set for Oct. 10, including tobacco judging at 10 a.m. in front of the chamber of commerce building, a free stroll for seniors at 10 a.m., Kiwanis family fun night at 5 p.m. at Park Square and the chamber building, and Roctober – featuring Hardlife, a band that performs locally on a regular basis, Brown said.

The biggest day of the festival is Oct. 11, which begins with a $3 pancake breakfast from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church. A flea market will be held in the parking lot of the courthouse from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a crafts show during the same time on the front lawn.

There will also be an re-enactment of the Jesse James Bank robbery at 9:30 a.m. at the Old Southern Bank.

Yet no festival is complete without festival food and the festival parade, which is slated to start at 10:30 a.m. at Main and W. Fourth streets. Parade day – Oct. 11 – has an estimated count between 20,000 and 25,000 people, Brown said.

“It’s a big day,” she said.

The annual festival will end with fireworks extravaganza “Fire in the Sky” at 8 p.m. at the Logan County Fairgrounds.

“There is just something always going on,” Brown said. “No matter who you are or what you enjoy doing, there’s something for you at the Tobacco and Heritage Festival, and I think that’s what makes it a success.”