Bring your momma to Mascoutah’s homecoming

The weekend is here. Let’s drink in the possibilities among these five things to do this weekend.

Come home

Over in Mascoutah, they’re having the annual “Homecoming Und Augustfest” at Scheve Park through Sunday. It’s the 90th annual such event according to the website, so surely they know how to throw a homecoming by now. Along with the expected music, pageants and parades and music, look for buckets of beer, a diesel smoker tractor pull, a car show, and a truck pull on Sunday night. The Mascoutah Homecoming Queen is crowned at 3 p.m. Sunday. Go to http://mascoutahhomecoming.org/ for more information about the self-described largest homecoming in the state.

Latch on

Most five-things events are open to all. We’ll just diverge from that requirement for exactly one minute.

Nursing mothers and their hungry babies can be part of the Big Latch On, a global event. Last year, 15,336 breastfeeding women attended, with 14,889 babies latching on at the same time, for the one minute. (Let’s do the math: 447 babies did not fully participate. Some of them may have cried, but crying babies and their mothers were welcome to stay anyway.)

Registration starts at 10 a.m., the event runs from 10:30 a.m. to noon and is free at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville in the Millennium Room. For more information, call 618-234-2120, ext 2545, email childbirtheduc@hshs.org or go to www.biglatchon.org.

Friends, family and community members are also welcome at the event to promote and support breastfeeding. It is St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s third year hosting the event.

Join in a game of ‘chunkey’

Play “chunkey” or throw an atlatl at Archeology Day at Cahokia Mounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is offering tours of archaeological excavations, where you can sift soil from the active digs and help wash any found artifacts. Archaeologists will be there to demonstrate techniques to identify animal bones (ask if it’s OK to lick them, kids) and answer excavation questions.

Other experts will be there to demonstrate how to make bows and arrows, or turn flint into arrowheads, or carve stone, or weave and spin fibers.

Food, including kettle “maize” will be available.

For more information, call 618-346-5160 or visit www.cahokiamounds.org. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is just eight miles from downtown St. Louis in Collinsville, off Interstates 55/70 (exit 6) and Interstate 255 (exit 24), on Collinsville Road.

‘Picnic’ sells it short

The folks in Aviston are serious about the St. Francis of Assisi Parish church picnic. For four hours, starting at 3 p.m., they’ll have fried chicken, roast beef, homemade dressing and more, with carry-outs available. There are also kids games, rides, quilt raffles, and a rock climbing wall as well as sandwiches, funnel cakes and more until 11 p.m. They’ll have margaritas, too.

The 4 p.m. Mass will include singing by the youth choir.

“The Country Store” has handmade crafts including baby quilts, and baked goods and more for sale. More than 250 baskets are up for auction; there are also raffles geared for both children and adults.

Get to the picnic from Interstate 64, exit 34 North about 7 miles, or take Illinois 50 to the Aviston exit. Go to stfrancisav.org for more information about the church.

Bring a big bag

The Sparta Public Library kicked off its annual book sale Friday morning and will continue it for a full seven days during the library’s regular hours. Chose from thousands of books ranging from 25 to 50 cents each; or hardback books are three for a dollar; paperback books are five for a dollar. For more information, email spartaillinoislibrary@gmail com or call 618-443-5014.

This story was originally published August 5, 2016 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Bring your momma to Mascoutah’s homecoming."