Topeka has an action-packed weekend with 'Princess Bride,' IFO, Roar & Pour, BBQ Fest, Blintze Brunch

Race car lovers, film buffs, wine connoisseurs and people who enjoy good food will be on the go this weekend as IFO Street Legends, "The Princess Bride," Roar & Pour, the Blintze Brunch and the Red White & Blue BBQ take place.

'The Princess Bride' and WIFI Film Festival

“The Princess Bride” will be shown at at 7 p.m. Friday at Evergy Plaza, 630 S. Kansas Ave. The film, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary, will be shown as part of the WIFI Film Festival, a free three-day event.

The much-loved, family-friendly movie has a Kansas connection, Mandy Patinkin, who plays Inigo Montoya in the movie. Patinkin attended The University of Kansas.

People who attend the film should bring lawn chairs, blankets and even tents, as long as other attendees' viewpoints are not obstructed. The movie will be shown rain or shine, so umbrellas may be a good idea as well.

The event would be rescheduled if the weather is dangerous.

Two food trucks, Poppin' Minis, which serves warm doughnuts, and Poppin' Squeeze, which serves lemonade and other items, will be available. The trucks are operated by a grandmother and grandson team.

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WIFI stands for Washburn International Film Institute, said Maria Stover, managing director of the festival, and Washburn University Department of Mass Media chair and professor.

'My vision has always been to have the festival as a community event'

The film institute was created in 2018 and premiered in 2019. Its 2020 festival was canceled because of the pandemic. The 2021 version did go on, albeit a more remote version. Events were available to view online and were recorded.

This year, the festival features film screenings, workshops and special events, which can be viewed at three locations: Arts Connect, 909 N. Kansas Ave.; the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, 1515 S.W. 10th Ave.; and the Rita Blitt Gallery, 1700 S.W. Jewell on Washburn University’s campus.

Washburn Mass Media students assist the faculty with promotion, movie selection and technical support on-site. The department’s students are encouraged to submit their own films.

"My vision has always been to have the festival as a community event," Stover said. "It was really never meant to be just to be a festival of the mass media department or Washburn University per se."

Stover is dreaming big. She sees this as a Topeka event or even one for Kansas.

Her vision is of festival features a free family-oriented film.

"We can't have a festival without a venue," she said.

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This year, organizers struggled to find a location. Luckily, Evergy Plaza stepped up to the plate to help host "Princess Bride."

"Our mission has always been to keep this event free to Topeka," Stover said.

The WIFI Film Festival has 29 films selected this year.

Red, White & Blue BBQ

The Red, White & Blue BBQ Fest, at the Stormont Vail Events Center, 1 Expocentre Drive, will include live music, craft vendors, food, drinks, children’s activities and other entertainment. Events will center around a competition involving teams from across the United States.

Organizers plan to make it an annual event.

Teams will be judged on chicken, ribs, pork and brisket, competing for a total prize money purse of $20,000.

The Red, White & Blue BBQ is a Kansas City BBQ Society-sanctioned competition. It is also a qualifying event for the American Royal World Series of Barbecue and the Jack Daniels World Championship in 2022.

From 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, the BBQ Buck Night in the parking lot will allow guests to try out the competitors' wares. "Wilder Horses" will perform from 6 to 10 p.m.

A Barn Dance will be Saturday in Domer Arena

Several other events will be Saturday at the Stormont Vail Events Center.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. a Festival & Activity Area will be in the Exhibition Hall. The Coors Light Cornhole Tournament will be at noon (winners will receive a keg of Coors Light). From 6 to 11 p.m., a Barn Dance will be in Domer Arena. At 9 p.m. Pepsi-Cola of Topeka will have a firework show south of the parking lot.

On Saturday, "The Paradize Band" will bring its brand of music from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and "The Bash" will provide its sounds from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Barn Dance.

Roar & Pour

At the Roar & Pour Wine Fest 2022, palates will be satiated as wine attendees learn about cats Saturday at the Topeka Zoo, 635 S.W. Gage Blvd.

"We will have some presentations talking with the lions and the tigers and the mountain lion, even though mountain lions don't roar. We still like to include Cassie (the zoo's mountain lion/cougar)," said Jared Bednar, director of administration and creative for the Topeka Zoo.

This year's event will also give attendees a chance to stroll among dinosaurs.

The fundraiser is offering more than 50 wines from places like Stone Pillar Vineyard & Winery, Empty Nesters Winery, OZ Winery and Wyldewood Cellars.

Food from Texas Roadhouse, Stumpy’s Smoked Cheese, HyVee, Hazel Hill, Blue Moose, SPIN! Pizza and On the Border will be available.

Music from Nate in the Evening, EZ Pieces and Time Express will help set the mood.

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Guests may participate in a Wine Pull. By paying $20, they will pull a bag of wine, receiving a bottle valued at a minimum of $20. Some carry a price tag of $100 or more.

General admission is from 6 to 9 pm. Prices are $50 for regular tickets, $20 for designated drivers.

Attendees must be at least 21 years old, and all guests must have photo IDs to enter.

Steins & Vines and Brew at the Zoo coming soon

The VIP tickets for the event have already been sold out. Those who purchased them receive early entry, access to a VIP reception, a flight of four wines provided by Z&M Twisted Vineyard and Winery, along with four pasta dishes — created by Chef Bobby with Bobby’s Food Co — and tiramisu from 2 Chefs Catering.

For those who miss out, the zoo has two others coming up.

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Next week, tickets will go on sale for Steins & Vines and Brew at the Zoo.

"Brew at the Zoo is the beer-tasting version and is June 25," Bednar said. "And then Steins & Vines is an event series that we started last year because we couldn't do the same fundraisers due to the pandemic.

"Basically, it's a blend of both (Roar & Pour and Brew at the Zoo), geared a little bit older, a little more laid back and chill."

Steins & Vines will be June 5 and 19, July 9 and 24.

The fundraiser helps support Topeka Zoo conservation and education initiatives.

For more information, call (785) 368-9180.

IFO Street Legends

On Saturday IFO (Import Face Off) Street Legends at Heartland Motorsports Park, 7530 S.W. Topeka Blvd., will show off their rides and face off with other motorists to attain bragging rights.

Hearts will palpitate as engines rev to life. Track manager Travis Hilton encourages attendees to wear earplugs, as it can get pretty loud.

The stereo contest is one such event. Sound meters are used to measure the decibels.

"They also give points for the quality of sound as opposed to something that sounds obnoxious," Hilton said.

Burnouts are go-nowhere competitions in which vehicles are put in neutral or park.

"It's a battle for the most attention-grabbing experience," Hilton said.

Participants win by laying down the most rubber. It often results in tires blowing and an occasional fire. It isn't unusual for cars to be ruined.

"A 1970s Chrysler would be a great thing in that (competition)," Hilton said.

There will be no race classes, no rules

Drifting will involve racing around a slalom course as fast as possible. What ends up happening is racers increase their speed and how quickly they are going around the course, Hilton said.

"They will go faster than the car can keep traction on all corners," he said.

There will be no race classes, no rules and the event is open to all types of street cars, trucks and motorcycles.

A disc jockey will provide entertainment, as will models posing with vehicles and maybe an event-goer or two.

The car limbo event often involves low-riders and other low-to-the ground vehicles. Some are held down by people to get even lower.

A no-time, instant green grudge racing event will also be held.

Created in 2001 by owner Cliff Wallace, IFO has developed a cult following from across the nation over the years. This event is expected to bring many to town.

Tickets for adults are $25. Children 10 and younger get in free.

Temple Beth Sholom's Blintze Brunch

Temple Beth Sholom will share its heritage with Jewish food during its 57th Annual Blintze Brunch, a curbside event, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the temple, 4200 S.W. Munson.

Available items will include blintzes (sweetened-cheese filling rolled in crepes), knishes (meat and potato filling inside baked or fried dough) and rolled cabbages with beef filling.

For $18, each meal will included two blintzes, one meat knish, one potato knish and one order of rolled cabbage. All meals come with heating instructions.

There will also be a sale of traditional Jewish baked goods, including rugelach (a filled, baked confection), hamantaschen (a pocket pastry), mandel bread (a small, hard bread comparable to biscotti) and challah (a braided braid similar to brioche).

Topeka's Jewish community dates back to 1868. Two congregations founded in 1905 and 1915 joined together to build Temple Beth Sholom, Topeka’s first synagogue, in 1920.

Sholom is Hebrew for peace and harmony.

Orders, payable by credit card or PayPal, may be placed online and are due by Saturday. Items will be picked up at prearranged times between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday at the temple.

If times needs to be changed those who order are requested to call (785) 272-6040 as soon as possible.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka weekends events from 'Princess Bride' and IFO to Roar & Pour