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The festival began Thursday.

Today the hospitality tent sponsored by ABATE Region 7 will begin serving at 4 p.m. in the city park and run until midnight. A disc jockey will perform from midnight to 1 a.m.

At 5 p.m., the 3-on-3 basketball contest will score points with the crowd and will continue Saturday at 9 a.m. The Cheryl Thomas Memorial Softball Tournament also will get underway at the park at 5 p.m. The Battle of the Bands will tune up music lovers from 5-9 p.m. at the park.

The Country Kids Parade will make its way downtown at 7 p.m., with awards presented at 7:30 p.m. in the park.

Don't miss the ABATE Karaoke Contest in the hospitality tent Friday evening. Warm-ups will run from 7-9 p.m., and Karaoke judging on appearance, presentation and vocals will take place from 9 p.m. to midnight. Disc jockey music will follow from midnight to 1 p.m. A $3 cover is required, and entrants must be age 21 or over. The event, which will be emceed by Beth Mead, will award cash prizes of $300 for first place, $200 for second place and $100 for third place.

Children small and large will enjoy the Inflatable Super Slide Plus at the park from 7-10 p.m. and can take part in the Kids Pedal Pull in the park at 7:30 p.m. They can wrap up the day by catching a kids movie shown on a 25-foot inflatable screen in the park at 9:30 p.m.

On Saturday, awesome autos will be on display at the Marlette Car Club's Car Show beginning at 9 a.m. Be sure to catch the Car Cruise that night at 6 p.m.

The ABATE Vintage Motorcycle and Motorscooter Show will thrill festival-goers in the park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration will be from 10 a.m. to noon in the park, with awards presented at 4 p.m.

The show includes free entry and is open to all cycles and scooters 1983 or earlier. One trophy will be awarded per class: Motorscooters pre-1960 and 1961-1983; American Motorcycles pre-1949, 1950-69 and 1970-83; Japanese Motorcycles 0-150, 151-250, 251-500, 501-750 and 751-open; European Motorcycles; Competition Bikes; and Custom Vintage. Trophies are sponsored by Dave Hall Inc. Call (989) 635-3382 for more details on the show.

The Grand Country Christmas Parade will head through downtown at 11 a.m., when the Craft Show gets underway. Check out the Marlette Regional Hospital Health Tent from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the park.

At noon Saturday, kids will find art activities, as well as inflatable fun in the park until 10 p.m. Adults will enjoy a variety of activities from 1-3 p.m. in the park and a silent auction from 1-4 p.m.

The hospitality tent also opens at noon and will feature live music with "Tent Full of Blues." Pete "Big Dog" Fetters Blues, past winner of the Motor City Blues Society Solo/Duo Division, will perform from noon to 3:30 p.m. The Jeff Hoagland Blues Band, Detroit's premier blues band, will play from 4-8 p.m.

The Adam Allen Band will take the stage from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., featuring former Badfinger member Adam Allen, former Rare Earth member Wayne Baracks and "Hammerin'" Cameron on percussion. Cover is $3 after 6 p.m., and all donations are accepted. The entertainment is sponsored by Treve's Pizza, Eddie G's Restaurant Grill and Pub, Ray C's Extreme Harley-Davidson of Lapeer, Bonnie's Greenhouse, TJS Limousine Service, The Main Street Clipper, www.abateofmichigan-7.com and Krazyhorse Saloon of Kingston.

Other food to enjoy are the stands operated by local community service groups in the park and the Marlette Fire Department Pig Roast at the VFW Hall beginning at 12:30 p.m.

That evening, a Community Melodrama will be presented at Marlette High School at 6:30 p.m. At 9 p.m., awards will be given out for the parade and the merchants' Bales of Fun Straw Sculpture Contest. Be sure to stick around for the fireworks display at the park at dusk.