By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorDiekroeger Park in Wright City will be coming alive this weekend.The annual Strassenbash festival will be held this Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, and large crowds are expected to attend both days.Strassenbash is sponsored by the Wright City Area Chamber of Commerce and features a wide array of entertaining, including live music, queen coronation, baby show, parade and a 5K run/walk.The park grounds are open from 4-11 p.m. on Friday and from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.As in the past, the main attraction on both evenings is live music. A new band playing a variety of hits has joined the Strassenbash lineup this year.American Idle, a St. Louis area band, will play from 7-11 p.m. on Friday. The high-energy group is a regular at Fast Eddie’s, a popular venue in Alton, Ill.Saturday night the featured entertainment is My Friend Mike, which will also perform from 7-11 p.m. The band’s lead vocalist is Mike Schlipp, a Wright City native.Rich Helton and Circle of Friends also is scheduled to play from noon-3 p.m. Saturday in the biergarten.The Wright City Chamber will announced its Person of the Year Friday night. The award will be presented at 8 p.m. The recipient also will serve as grand marshal of Saturday’s parade.Nominees are volunteers who dedicate countless hours of their time, show strong community spirit and those who lend support to the Wright City community.Saturday’s activities start early and end late.The 5K run/walk starts at 8 a.m. at Diekroeger Park. Registration opens at 7:30 a.m. The entry fee is $10 and includes a T-shirt.The parade is scheduled to start at 11 a.m., beginning at Ruge Park and ending at Diekroeger Park. Lineup for the parade entries starts at 10 a.m.Pauldingville Lodge No. 11 AF&AM and the Wright City R-II School District are teaming up to provide a free MOCHOP event from noon-4 p.m. People under the age of 21 will have vital statistics, such as fingerprints, pictures, height, weight and dental impression recorded on a computer disc o be given to parents. The information can be used by law enforcement in case of an emergency.Other activities scheduled for Saturday are a washer tournament, pedal tractor pull and baby contest, all slated to start at 2 p.m., and the queen coronation at 8 p.m.Parents will be able to preregister for the baby show on Friday or early Saturday by filing out forms available at the Chamber booth.There will be over 20 food and miscellaneous vendors present throughout the weekend.For more information, call the Chamber office at 636-745-785 or visit www.wrightcityareachamber.org.Eight girls are competing to be crowned as the 2015 Strassenbash queen. This year's festival will be held Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Sept. 19, at Diekroeger Park in Wright City. The queen coronation is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Pictured, from left, are Riley Heiliger (FMB Bank), Abby Thomas (Quick Fix), Hannah Rodgers (I-70 Autosports), 2014 Queen Abigail Zykan, Brooklyn Hogan (Gastorf Chevrolet), Abby Wilson (American Bank), Brittney Wade (First State Community Bank), Keslie Meyers (Telkamp Construction) and Samantha Schubert (American Oasis). Jana Todd photo.
