Cars. Barbecue. Danni Boatwright.

Hello, Tonganoxie.

From the Miss Tonganoxie beauty pageant Friday night to Saturday’s culinary culmination at the Leavenworth County Barbecue Cook-off, the annual Tonganoxie Days events helped usher in summer with tons of events, shopping and music.

There was even an appearance by the city’s favorite daughter, who was slated to sign autographs Saturday afternoon.

“If I couldn’t have fun, I wouldn’t be out here,” said Manuel Pruneda, who runs a local barbecue outfit called “Slabba Dabba Doo.”

Pruneda and 31 other cooking teams swarmed to the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds on Friday night, firing up the smokers and laying down slabs of ribs and heaps of brisket for the annual cook-off.

It’s a big deal, volunteer organizer Paul Barrett said, as the winner gets to go to the state championship at Kansas City’s American Royal in October.

2005 Survivor Guatemala winner Danni Boatwright chats with 9-year-old Meghan Carey, Tonganoxie, who is holding Maggie, her Yorkshire terrier puppy, during an autograph session at Saturday's Tonganoxie Days festivities. Boatwright, who lives in Tonganoxie, won million on the CBS reality show and more recently was a sideline reporter for the Kansas City Brigade.

“They’ve got chicken, ribs, pork and brisket,” Barrett said. “They’ll cook all night long.”

Barrett sat at a table in the judge’s room at the fairgrounds Saturday, explaining how the event works.

First, the chicken comes in. Then ribs, then the rest, and the judges employ their expert palates to decide who cooked their meat the best.

But in the middle of a sentence, the first round of birds begin trickling in.

“Whoa!” Barrett said. “We’ve got some stuff coming in here.”

Back at his Slabby Doo tent, Pruneda and his wife, Dawn, put the finishing touches on his batch of birds – all well-dressed in a bed of lettuce and parsley.

Just then, a buddy came over from another tent.

“Check it out, Joe! This bone’s for you!” Pruneda yelled.

The two swapped barbecue – but not secrets to their cuisine.

Elsewhere in town, a car show raged on, full of all makes and styles of hot rods and custom rides.

Downtown, the annual fair allowed folks to show off custom wares and handmade goods.

The tents set up along Fourth Street included everything from candles and beer-infused bread to carnival-style games where kids tossed darts at balloons for prizes.

Walking downtown Saturday, Tracey Dyleski helped herself to a slushy and a funnel cake as she perused the shops.

For Dyleski, the day meant more than just munching and shopping. It gave the Tonganoxie high-schooler a chance to meet up with her neighbors and friends – and her community as a whole.

“This is a small town,” Dyleski said. “Here, it’s everybody coming together.”