Compiled by SALLY ANN SHURMUR

Star-Tribune staff writer

It's as if organizers looked at the calendar and thought, "Wow, we had better get our activity in before August ends."

Turns out it's a bonus for families looking for fun activities on what is expected to be a gorgeous last weekend of August in central Wyoming.

As provided to the newspaper, here's a roundup of what you can do:

The sixth annual Platte River Parkway Festival and Great Duck Derby take place from noon to 5 p.m., in the area between the Adventure Playground and Mike Lansing Field on N. Poplar Street.

It's absolutely free to enjoy live music, storytelling, balloon tying and face painting for the kids, see everyone you know and wander the river's edge.

A barbecue feast will be served for $12 per person and smaller meals will be available for $5. The first 500 people to purchase a lunch will receive a free ticket to the Casper Ghosts game tonight right next door.

Regional micro-brews are priced individually and soft drinks and water will also be for sale.

The Great Duck Derby, sponsored by the Casper Rotary Club, offers 120 prizes if the duck you purchased crosses the finish line near the front of the pack.

Among the prizes are $3,000 cash and four luxury travel opportunities. Tickets are $20 each and available until 2:30 p.m., at the festival entrance.

Ducks are dumped into the river at Jonah Bank at 3 p.m., and with the river running exceptionally high and swiftly, they are expected to reach the finish line at the festival a short while later.

Prize winners will be posted on a board at the festival and on the www.casperrotary.org Web site.

Neighbors in one of Casper's oldest neighborhoods will celebrate today at the fourth annual Tour de Grant's Block Party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Enjoy area garage sales and then visit Grant Street Grocery, 815 S. Grant, where live music will be provided by Anna & Friends. There's free ice cream and cheese tasting and a host of family activities. Other yummy food is available for purchase for a small fee. Neighbors are encouraged to ride their bikes.

The Natrona County Master Gardeners' farmer's market starts at 7:30 a.m., on the grounds of the ARLC Building, 2011 Fairgrounds Rd. Among the booths is a fund-raiser for the Mount Hope Lutheran Church and School, which expects to have tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, cantaloupe and watermelon.

The G. Michael Perry Memorial Softball Tournament for Special Olympics Wyoming starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. at the North Casper Softball Complex.

The Central Wyoming Motorcycle Festival is in Douglas at the State Fairgrounds, beginning at 9 a.m. Free breakfast and free lunch will be served. There will be games for the kids, motorcycle games, a motorcycle show (motorcycle beauty contest), rides in a sidecar, and a bike wash. All events and activities are free, donations accepted. The event is sponsored by the New Jerusalem Knights chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association.

The Carnival Kick-Off Rally for old and new Girl Scouts and their families is at Highland Park (by Frontier Middle School) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everyone is invited. Carnival game tickets are 25 cents each or 30 tickets for $5.

A free community seminar for people who live with an irregular heartbeat, "Treatments for Atrial Fibrillation," will be presented from 11 a.m. to noon at the Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 N. Poplar St., by Drs. Eric Munoz and Michel Skaf of the Heart Center of Wyoming. They will discuss a range of options available for treatment. Refreshments will be served.

Glenrock's Valentine Speedway hosts a Demolition Derby at 1 p.m., sponsored by the Glenrock Fire Department.

Also in Glenrock, a benefit auction and barbecue for Gayle Hendricks Hoyer starts at 3 p.m., at the Shoreliner Lounge. Hoyer is fighting breast cancer. The auction is filled with art prints, trips and tons of activities and services. Donations may be made to Reliant Credit Union in Douglas, Casper and Glenrock, made payable to Gayle Hoyer Benefit.

First Baptist Church celebrates its 100th anniversary in Casper with an outdoor celebration including a concert, skits, games, food and more from 5 to 8 p.m., and a Celebration Service on Sunday at 10 a.m. They would love you to join them. For details, call Pastor John Marshall at 234-6946.

"Anastasia's Fault," bluegrass gospel band, will perform at 6 p.m., at Evansville Baptist Church, 459 Third St., in Evansville. Food will be served after the performance.

The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center offers a free program at 7 p.m., and looks at "Ella Watson's Fence: The Story Behind the Lynching of 'Cattle Kate,'" presented by Tom Rea.

Central Wyoming Rescue Mission concludes its spare change collection drive tonight at the Casper Ghosts game. Take your spare change and be entered in a drawing for great prizes.

On Sunday, The Casper Senior Center's annual Hawaiian luau and pig roast is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Doors open at 10:30 a.m., and lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $4 and include lunch and entertainment.

Hawaiian dancers perform at noon. Don't forget to dress in your favorite tropical clothing.

Also on Sunday, the Natrona County Public Library begins its school-year schedule and will be open from 1 to 5 p.m., each Sunday during the school year.

Community News editor Sally Ann Shurmur can be reached at (307) 266-0520 or sallyann.shurmur@trib.com. Read Sal's blog at tribtown.trib.com/Sal/blog