With permanent smiles, Thomas the Tank Engine and his friend Percy are patiently waiting at Baldwin City’s Santa Fe Depot for the arrival of fans.

The Midlland Railway’s Day Out with Thomas events annually draw about 20,000 to Baldwin City. Allen Kinsley, Midland Railway treasurer, said he was expecting the same kind of attendance for the event set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday and June 9-11. Advance ticket sales have been strong, if off slightly from last year because of uncertain weather, he said.

The trains will run hourly from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. all six days of the event from 1515 High St. Advance tickets can be purchased online through a [buy tickets][1] link at midland railway.org.
In addition to the two trains, the event will include an appearance by Thomas’ co-star Sir Topham Hatt, a petting zoo, a magician and bounce houses, including one shaped like Thomas’ friend Toby the Tram Engine, Kinsley said.

A number of improvements were made to the Santa Fe Depot grounds in the past two years through a Kansas Department of Transportation grant. Kinsley said because of those upgrades, all events and vendors can now set up on dry gravel instead of grass areas that frequently got muddy with spring rains. Vendors this year include Baldwin City Boy Scouts, the local Lions Club, Moose’s BBQ and Poppin Squeeze, a vendor of kettle corn and lemonade.

Signs on U.S. Highway 56 will direct visitors to park and ride lots, Kinsley said.

Adding to a busy Saturday in Baldwin City will be the 30th annual Friends of the Baldwin City Library Citywide Garage Sale. Maps can be purchased for $5 from the Baldwin City Public Library from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday and picked up for free from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Eudora Parks and Recreation Department’s family fun night will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Eudora Community Center, 1630 Elm St. The free event will include free food, a balloon entertainer, face painting, bounce houses and music from Fortunate Sons. Twenty passes to the Eudora municipal pool will be given away during the evening.

The Eudora Farmers’ Market will open for the season Tuesday. Market manager Jamie Knabe said the market would be from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through October in the Gene’s Heartland Foods parking lot in the 1400 block of Church Street.

The focus this year is to build the market back up after its move last year from the Nottingham Elementary School property and changing its date from Friday to Tuesday, Knabe said. The date was changed to one that didn’t conflict with other area markets and to make it more convenient for shoppers, Knabe said.

“It will allow shoppers to better get started on their weeks,” she said.

Although she hasn’t received confirmation from all her vendors, Knabe is expecting about eight vendors on Tuesday. Vendors will have available a lot of green vegetables, onions, radishes and baked goods. Knabe said she would have eggs, pork, chicken and beef at her booth, and she was expecting another vendor with meat. In addition, JB’s Taco Truck and Kona Ice will be at the market Tuesday and throughout the season, she said.

“Kona Ice will be donating 20 percent of their sales to the Eudora High School girls soccer team,” she said.

Baldwin City pharmacist Gary Roberts is retiring after 38 years of serving the community. His Roberts Drug Store in the Baldwin City Market has now closed.

Roberts said he first opened his pharmacy in 1979. For 22 years, his pharmacy was in two downtown locations in the 700 block of Eighth Street. He has been at the grocery store location about 16 years, he said.

“I want to thank all my customers through the years,” he said. “The big thing I’ll miss is helping the people I’ve gotten to know with their medications and needs.”