Second annual Mingle on Main brings more kids activities, vendors

Event-goers browse through 87 vendor booths at the Mingle on Main Street Block Party, in Tecumseh, on June 16. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan
Eli Storie and Chaistyn Ramsey, both 10 and of Tecumseh, slide together down the inflatable slide during the Mingle on Main Street Block Party on June 16. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan
"Cowboy Hank," aka Josh Powell of Cowboys Plumbing, offers plastic leis to Clementine Perez-Enriquez, 2, of Tecumseh, as Briana Perez, Catherine Perez-Enriquez, 1, and Jorge Enriquez look on during the Mingle on Main Street Block Party on June 16. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan
Midas 13 sings "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black-Eyed Peas during the Mingle on Main Street Block Party, in Tecumseh, on June 16. The cover band members, of OKC, are Aaron Daily, on bass; Amanda Martindale, on guitar; Ryan McMasters, on guitar; and James Wyrick, on drums. Daily, Martindale & McMasters are also on vocals. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan
The petting zoo and pony rides are seen from above. Photo provided by Cathy Condit.
Danny and Shelby Mellinger, of Tecumseh, sell barbecue sandwiches to Donavan and Destiny Parker.
Danny and Shelby Mellinger, of Tecumseh, sell a barbecue sandwich to Charles Handy.
Danny Mellinger, of Tecumseh, right, sells a barbecue sandwich to Brian Cartwright, also of Tecumseh, during the Mingle on Main Street Block Party on June 16. Mellinger took first-place in the chicken breast division of the barbecue contest. Countywide & Sun/Natasha Dunagan
Cowboy Hank and Cally Powell, of Cowboys Plumbing, hand out plastic leis to children at Mingle on Main, June 16.
Mingle on Main
Mingle on Main
Mingle on Main
Mingle on Main
Mingle on Main
Tecumseh FFA & 4H Boosters "Jail"
Tecumseh FFA & 4H Boosters "Jail"
Mingle on Main
Mingle on Main Barbecue Contest

As the sun dipped down, the crowd picked up at the Second Annual Mingle on Main Street Block Party on Thurs., June 16.

Held on Broadway between Park and Main streets in Tecumseh, the city event featured a barbecue contest, vendor booths, a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatables, and live music from 4-9 pm.

Midas 13, a cover band out of OKC, performed live music. The petting zoo and pony rides were just south of the library, and the inflatable slide and bounce house were at Park and Broadway.

Next to the inflatables, the Tecum seh FFA & 4-H Booster Club brought a horse trailer to serve as a jail. People could pay to have someone “arrested,” placed in fake handcuffs, and taken to the trailer to serve their time of about five minutes.

Tecumseh City Clerk Cathy Condit said 180 vendors registered, but 25 canceled, and 68 didn’t show up. However, with 65 vendors last year and 87 this year, there was still an increase of 22 vendors.

Condit was unsure if business was good for the vendors, but she said, “I know one food truck (B Smokehouse) sold out completely of everything they brought.”

“I think we had more citizens show up for the event than last year,” she said. “It was very hot, but I know the volunteers had fun.”

Event-goers over age 18 could get a free raffle ticket for a combination gas and charcoal grill, and they could play bingo by checking off the vendors they visited. All those who got a bingo were entered to win a Yeti cooler.

There were 96 grill giveaway participants and 21 vendor bingo entries, said Condit. Rebecca Stokes won the grill, and Ronniell Baker and Cassie Graham won coolers.

Out of 15 registered contestants for the barbecue contest, eight actually entered for cash prizes. The Grand Prize winner, Jesse Ramsey, of Tecumseh, received $500.

Here are the rest of the results of the contest:

Chicken Breast: 1st – Danny Mellinger, Tecumseh; 2nd – Jesse Ramsey, Tecumseh; – 3rd – Jerry Kuhn, Tecumseh

Brisket: 1st – Jesse Ramsey, Tecumseh; 2nd – David Gregory, Meeker; 3rd – Bradley Frye, Tecumseh

Ribs: 1st – Jesse Ramsey, Tecumseh; 2nd – David Gregory, Meeker; 3rd – Jerry Kuhn, Tecumseh

Sponsors of the Mingle on Main Street Block Party were Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Tinker Federal Credit Union, BancFirst, First United Bank, Communications Federal Credit Union, Bison Federal Credit Union, OMPA, Absentee Shawnee Tribe, CVEC, and All Nations Bank.