By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

dobrien@dailynews.net

Organizers of Herzogfest have lived by the philosophy that they will take suggestions from people and try certain events to see how they go over and eliminate those that aren't as popular.

It obviously works.

The annual after-harvest celebration in Victoria -- in its 26th year -- draws many people to the small Ellis County town and is expected to do the same this weekend at W.J. "Honey" and Laura Braun Park.

This year's event has been scaled back to two days, eliminating the tractor pull that the last few years has been Sunday.

Cole Engel, entertainment coordinator for Herzogfest, said sponsorships didn't work out for that activity this year, so the event committee decided to go without it.

"We decided to try it (without the tractor pull) one year," he said. "If people really want a particular event, we find out about it."

So while the festival begins on schedule Friday evening, the finale will be Saturday's fireworks display and dance with local favorites Jimmy Dee and the Fabulous Destinations.

And Saturday will be a full day.

It begins in the morning with a 5K run/walk that draws about 100 people, followed by a parade, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, horseshoes, bingo and pinochle.

Throughout the day, there will be children's games, a kids' pedal pull, talent show, fun cycles and banana bikes, and free swimming.

There also will be free swimming, as well as the fun cycles and banana bikes, Friday.

Friday night's entertainment is Nashville recording artist Ty Herndon.

"Friday is the big-name national entertainment night, and Saturday is 'Celebrate Victoria German heritage day,' " Engel said. "We've tried to keep Saturday about the community, more local-type stuff. A lot of families come then."

With the exception of some of the tournaments and vendors, everything is free, including the concerts.

This will mark the fourth festival-fair type event in Ellis County in six weeks time.

The string of celebrations began with Wild West Festival in Hays the first week of July.

Two weeks later was the Ellis County Fair, also in Hays, with the Ellis Junior Free Fair in Ellis last weekend.

This weekend's celebration will be the last large public celebration in the county before school kicks into high gear.

So, Engel said, with the high price of gas, people could have saved some money this year and traveled just within the county for entertainment.

"That's a good thing that the Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau has tried to stress," he said. "Attend your community and county events and check them out."

More information about Herzogfest can be found at www.herzogfest.com.