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A cowboy, two blacksmiths and a flim-flam man walk into a fort ...

No, it’s not the opening line of a bad joke. It’s just a few of the entertainers who will bring their talents to the 34th annual Frontier Days celebration this weekend.

With the exception of Saturday’s parade and a pro off-road riding demonstration, all action takes place at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village, east of the intersection of Business U.S. Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 169.

Recent rains have left parts of the Fort grounds a bit soggy, but when it comes to Frontier Days, the show always goes on.

And that includes the 10 a.m. parade down Central Avenue. Parade coordinators Mike and Cindy Mulroney have approximately 150 entries ready to make the trip Saturday, including more royalty than usual. Scheduled to appear are Miss Frontier Days, Little Miss and Mr., winners and runners-up from the Miss Heritage Pageant, Junior Miss Iowa 2007 and National American Miss.

“We are looking forward to a great, sunny parade,” Mike Mulroney said.

Although crowds usually make their way to the Fort after Saturday’s parade, gates officially open for Frontier Days at 4 p.m. Friday.

When it comes to music, “We’re ready to go,” said Lindy Kaye, who oversees the weekend’s musical entertainment.

The 55-member 312th U.S. Army Band will play inside the stockade at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, but parade-goers will get a preview Saturday morning.

“Every band playing this year is very talented, and I think people will be very happy about the variety and just the top notch quality of the groups,” Kaye said.

At least a half dozen musical groups, including the Ski Band — longtime Fort Dodge favorites — and Scott Dorman, an area native who plays professionally in Nashville, will be making their first Frontier Days appearances under the Big Top.

“There’s a huge line up of vendors, bigger than before,” said Terry Cook, who oversees the food and craft vendors area.

Among the new food offerings this year, he said, will be vendors selling mini doughnuts, shish kabobs, gyros and tater ribbons.

New sunglass, jewelry, wood craft, honey and novelty sellers will take their place in the craft area, Cook said.

Stage entertainment kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Friday when T. Texas Terry, a former Ringling Brothers performer, brings his whips, guns and ropes back to Frontier Days. The cowboy comedian will be doing double duty this year when he performs his hypnotist act under his real name, Terry Davolt.

Doc Anderson — an Old West flim-flam man — returns with card tricks and games of chance, but this year he’s bringing his entire medicine show, complete with a wagon and his inventory of Swamp Oil Elixir. Anderson is scheduled to offer a preview of his skills from 11 a.m. to noon Friday at the Fort Dodge Hy-Vee.

Historic artisans will demonstrate their skills and sell wares along Front Street. Among those scheduled are a woodcarver who translates his interest in Eastern Woodland Indian culture into his art; a pair of blacksmiths who will fire up the forge in the Shold Blacksmith shop; a scrimshaw artist, who carves intricate designs into powder horns; a knife maker, a basket maker; and the Fort’s resident tinsmith.

Admission to all events, including the traditional Noon Sertoma pork chop dinner, requires a Frontier Days button. The buttons, which sell for $5, are available at various Fort Dodge business locations through today and at the admission gates on the Fort grounds.

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