New this year are a film festival, Corvette cruise-in and shuttle service

JEFFERSON — Celebrating its 50th Mint Festival with the theme “On Golden Pond,” Jefferson will combine a new film festival, Corvette cruise-in and a free shuttle service with the traditional favorites of a parade, frog-jumping contest, great music, vendors and garage sales.

Saturday’s pancake breakfast and parade will be held downtown, but most events will be at the middle and high schools, at N. Second Street and Talbot. Admission is free.

Bargain hunters wanting to plan their garage sale tour routes early can pick up a free master yard sale map at the Santiam Market late Thursday. Garage sales run Friday through Sunday.

The Vendors Plaza will offer a variety of food, arts and crafts on Friday and Saturday. A quilt show will run from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday in the middle school cafeteria.

Friday evening, the Royal Court will be crowned at 7:15 p.m. For the second year in a row, the court includes one prince. The 2007 court members are Nathan Danner, Leanne Ruzicka, Tasmin Norton, Sarah Moreland and Tara Barnett. The winner is determined largely by raffle ticket sales and participation in various events.

Raffle drawings will be held at 7:55 p.m., including the Grand Prize of a $1,000 shopping spree to At Home Furniture in Albany donated by Kent and Cathy Wilson.

Musical group AFAN, of Woodburn, will provide entertainment and danceable Mexican music on the main stage from 8 to 10 p.m.

The Santiam Film Group will host its first “short film” festival at 10 p.m. Friday. Local filmmakers may submit movies for consideration. Movies should be fewer than 20 minutes in length with a rating of G or PG. Call (503) 930-0986 or e-mail

santiamfilmgroup@earth

link.net for information.

On Saturday morning, the fire department will host its all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 6 a.m. to noon at the station, 189 N. Main St. Breakfast costs $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $4 for kids 6 and older. Kids 5 years and under eat free. Call 327-2822 or visit www.jeffersonfire.org.

The first Mint Festival Queen, of 1957, Sandra Stephenson Carter, will preside as Grand Marshal at Saturday morning’s parade. Beginning at 10 a.m., colorful floats, horses, fire trucks, tractors, and the Royal Court will circle the downtown area. Bring your own chairs or blankets for street-side seating.

If you’re looking for some exercise, consider the 5K run/walk ($12 fee includes T-shirt), 1-mile fun run, open swim, horseshoe tournament, T-ball game or frog jump. You can bring your own frog or rent one for the event. Contact the Park & Recreation Department for more information at 327-3581.

Get up and dance to Saturday evening’s musical entertainment as Bootleg, a rock-blues-country band, opens for the popular Boomer Band of Portland. Coinciding with the Boomer Band will be a cruise-in of 40 Corvettes. Bootleg plays at 6 p.m. with the Boomer Band following at 8 p.m.

Free shuttle service donated by Lassen Chevrolet will transport people between the Community Center at 107 N. Main and Jefferson Middle School. Local resident Jerry Nicholson arranged for the shuttle service to help more people get to the festival. Shuttles will run every 15 to 20 minutes, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday. After Saturday’s parade ends, shuttle service will run from 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Free 56-page Mint Festival commemorative booklets with complete schedule, maps and directions, history and interesting facts are available from Hamby Realty, Sterling Savings Bank, Hometown Market or the festival’s Information Booth. For more information about the festival, call Nancy Hamby at 327-2221 or visit www.mintfestival.com.