How do you improve an already successful local festival celebrating asparagus? Add square dancing and a bicycle race, and keep the emphasis on asparagus.

That’s the approach that organizers of the fourth annual Empire Asparagus Festival have taken this year. The festival begins Friday night and runs through Sunday with square dancing, poetry reading, a parade and many other aspargus-centered events.

2007 Aparagus Festival

New for this year’s celebration is the inaugural “Asquareagus Dance” to be held on Friday from 7-9 p.m. in the parking lot of Bear North, the former Sleeping Bear Store. The store is located at the corner of M-22 and Niagara Street in Empire.

Festival organizer Ashlea Walter said the owners of Bear North, Diana and Marc Oberschulte, put together the square dance. “It’s a great way to open the festival and the Oberschultes took the initiative to get it going,” Walter said.

Wanda Joseph and Friends will provide the music and there will be caller to announce each dance step. The event is free and refreshments will be served.

Most of the festival’s events take place on Saturday. Another new event, the Spear-it Race, a criterium bicycle race, runs from 8 a.m. to noon on the main street in the Beaver Creek subdivision. Derek Prechtl, a professional bicycle racer and owner of Sogood Coffee in Empire, has organized the race. The women’s race will start at 8:30 a.m. and the men’s event begins at 9:30 a.m.

A criterium is bike race held on a closed, circular course. For the Spear-it Race, each race will last about an hour. At some point in the race, a bell will sound and the first racer to complete three laps will win. “It’s a very unique and challenging kind of race,” he said.

So far, Prechtl said 25 racers have registered for the event. The limit for racers is 100. The Spear-it is a sanctioned event by USA Cycling, which means anyone who wants to compete in the race must be a licensed cyclist. Any amateurs wanting to participate may get a one-day license. Anyone wanting to get a one-day license should contact Prechtl at Sogood Coffee at 326-2077.

“This is a very spectator-friendly event with plenty of opportunities for people to watch and cheer on the riders,” he said. The race will be held on Beaver Creek Road, which will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon.

At 9 a.m., a 5k fun run and walk will starting near Empire Beach. With work ongoing at the beach area, look for the gathering of participants to the south the existing parking area.

Walter said the “Ode to Asparagus” poetry reading and reception was moved to Saturday afternoon from Friday night to make it more part of the event. Participants will read their works on asparagus and other topics starting at 1:30 p.m. in the Empire Township Hall.

Children’s games will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the green space next to the Post Office. The always-popular Cream of Asparagus Soup sale starts at 11 a.m., with the asparagus recipe and cooking contest starting at 11:30 a.m. Both events will be held at the township hall.

The Asparagus Festival Parade commences at 3 p.m. and follows the same route as the Anchor Day parade. Participants should start lining up on Union Street about a half-hour before the parade starts. The parade will go down Niagara Street, turn left on to Lake Street, then turn left onto Front Street, and back up to Union.

The Empire Lions Club Asparagus Dinner and a wine tasting featuring Leelanau County wines runs from 4-8 p.m. at the town hall. The day’s festivities wind up with a street dance on Front Street from 8-11 p.m. Harriet and the Love Fossils will provide the music.

Asparagus Festival 2007 concludes Sunday at 2 p.m. with the Asparagus BBQ and concert with The Covairs performing at the Village Inn on M-22. The cost is $10.