The oldest-running celebration in Austin gets underway Friday and Saturday on Austin's east side.

It's the 2002 East Side Days celebration.

Beginning Friday night, 10th Street Northeast will be filled with two blocks of entertainment and fun.

The East Side Days celebration predates any other community celebration in Austin.

It started in 1963, according to sponsors, when merchants banded together to promote the city and conduct a celebration in the summertime.

The celebration was held in August before the start of the annual Mower County Fair, then moved to July 4 and then moved again to a pre-Independence Day celebration.

Austin's Dick Lang, Third Ward council member and a long-time east side business-owner remembers the rich history of the celebration.

Lang remembers when the city targeted the area for an urban development project that would have turned the two block area into a frontier village-style shopping area. "They created a Frontier Village Merchants Association to work together and they sponsored the annual holiday," Lang said.

When that idea failed to materialize into a legitimate front village in the northeast Austin neighborhood, local merchants continued to sponsor an annual holiday in late-June, according to Lang.

Square One of Des Moines, Iowa, will entertain, beginning Friday night with a street dance including '50s, '60s and '70s music. The Iowa band's collection of rock, county and blues music has made it a summertime favorite where the musicians go to entertain.

Another feature of the weekend celebration is the poker run beginning noon Saturday and ending 7 p.m. that night.

There will be payouts to the top hands in all four bars along 10th Street Northeast with the top hand overall earning the biggest payout.

Registration begins 11 a.m. Saturday for the annual Eastside Days horseshoe tournament. The first horseshoes will be tossed beginning noon Saturday.

The merry merchants along 10th Street Northeast will also sponsor a "Toilet Flush."

Favorite bartenders from Bobee Jo's, Hiawatha Bar, Charley's Lounge and Lefty's Bar have volunteered to take a turn in the flush dunk tank. They include Gronk,

Michelle, Dick, Randy,

Merlene, Georgia, Billy George, Jill and Donny.

Security will be strictly enforced, according to sponsors. Everyone must be 21 years of age and no exceptions will be made.

The sponsors encourage celebrants to take a taxi and enjoy a weekend of fun on Austin's east side.

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com