Tonganoxie ? Today’s kickoff to the 17th annual Tonganoxie Days will feature beauty and the beef.

Competitors will fire up their grills this afternoon for the Leavenworth County State Barbecue Championship judging begins at noon Saturday at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds and a beauty pageant to name the first-ever Miss Tonganoxie is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the fairgrounds.

Joe Smith of Kansas City, Kan., watches his car warm up during the first heat of the demolition derby during last year's Tonganoxie Days. This year's festival kicks off today with the Leavenworth County State Barbecue Championship and the first-ever Miss Tonganoxie Pageant.

That’s just a prelude of what’s to come on Saturday, when organizers expect 3,000 to 3,500 people to flood Tonganoxie.

“It’s a good, enjoyable day for everybody,” said Connie Torneden, chairwoman of the festival committee.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, participants will hit the road for a 10K run/5K walk to benefit Friends of the Library. The event will begin at the Tonganoxie Public Library, 303 S. Bury St.

An hour later, at the fairgrounds, an arts and crafts festival will get under way. Vendors will sell their wares until 4 p.m. Also at the fairgrounds, the Sacred Heart Altar Society will stage a quilt show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A car show sponsored by Country Cruisers Car Club will be in Reusch VFW Memorial Park.

Throughout the day, entertainment will be provided by country music artist Tim Clarrey and the Star Struck Dance Studio Cowtown Cloggers.

A dance with tunes provided by the Billy Spears Band runs from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the administration building at the fairgrounds. Admission is a $2 donation. Proceeds will go to Tonganoxie Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9271 to help with the completion of a new post home.

	Upcoming area eventsDay Out With ThomasThis event, geared toward children 2 to 6 years old, will bring the 17-ton replica of the cartoon Thomas the Tank Engine to Baldwin today through Sunday and again June 14-16. Face painting, storytelling, coloring and live music will also be available at Midland Railway, at the base of the grain elevator, 1515 High St. The event is free, but train tickets if any are available are $14 per person. Children under age 1 ride free. To check ticket availability, call (913) 381-8856. A few walk-in tickets will be available for early-morning and late-afternoon runs on Fridays and Sundays.Lecompton Territorial DaysThis annual event gets under way the evening of June 28 on Elmore Street in downtown Lecompton. Carnival rides and children’s games will be available and a teen street dance will be from 9:15 p.m. to 11 p.m. Beginning at 7 a.m. June 29, the carnival and games will resume, along with activities such as a scavenger hunt, horseshoe competition, softball tournament, pioneer skills demonstrations, parade, bike race, church dinner, music recital, ice cream social and a dance from 9 p.m. to midnight. Lecompton Reenactors will perform the play “Kansas Territory.”