INDIANOLA — What do candles, hermit crabs, hot dogs, pregnant sea monsters giving birth and Demi Moore have in common? Here’s a hint: It’s a local celebration.

Still confused? The answer’s easy, and close by: Indianola Days.

The yearly celebration invites family, friends, neighbors and community members out this weekend for the torrent of activities that can result in the creations listed above.

“It’s pretty welcoming,” said event chairwoman Patti Chambers. “It’s not a huge festival like Viking Fest or anything, but for us, it’s a big deal. It’s a celebration of community.”

The festival, though a small town event as Chambers said, includes activity after activity. This Friday, Stunt Night will be held, with tickets on a first come first served basis. Saturday will include the Steve Kikuchi Run and Walk, the sand sculpture contest, beach games, a street fair, a salmon bake and a late night dance for adults 21 and older. Sunday features a unique car show, the ever popular pet parade, and the East vs. West baseball game — in which residents from each side of the Indianola Dock face off at low tide.

In short, Indianola will be full to bursting with activities for everyone.

“This is the year of the (Indianola) Clubhouse,” Chambers said, noting that all fund-raising efforts have been put toward replacing the clubhouse’s foundation and making other repairs on the structure. Though most of the activities are free, the money raised from events like the Krispy Kreme Doughnuts sale will go directly to the clubhouse fund.

Such events like the pet parade and the sand sculpture contest have been going on for years, and always draw a big crowd.

“Everyone comes out of every nook and cranny to see the pet parade,” Chambers said.

“We had over 70 entries last year,” said Pet Parade organizer Vikki Sherman, adding that each year it grows, and judging by its pace, there will be anywhere from 75 to 100 entries this year. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. July 22, and pet lovers wanting to participate can sign up with their critters at 9:45 a.m. near the clubhouse.

“It varies every year,” Sherman said. “People dress up, dogs dress up. One year we had a little girl bring her hermit crab. She had to walk up close to the judges for them to see it. We get llamas, lizards, snakes, cats, dogs, miniature horses. You name it, it comes to the parade.”

Sherman said she remembers one year when two little girls pulled a wagon full of stuffed animals for the parade, charming the crowd.

Some of these animals might make an appearance, in one sandy form or another, at the sand sculpture contest Saturday morning. This year’s contest will be starting early, as the tide will be at it’s lowest at about 9:45 a.m., said event organizer Jay Gelose. He recommends that participants show up about 7 a.m. to get an early start on their sand creations before they are swept into Port Madison Bay.

Each year, Gelose said, there are new and inventive sculptures that show up from the residents who participate.

“One year we had a pregnant sea monster giving birth, that was pretty funny,” he said. “One year, someone did the Vanity Fair cover with Demi Moore, the one where she’s pregnant. It was done all in shells. There was also a giant nose.”

There are five different categories the sand sculptures are judged on, including creatures, humorous and children’s. Gelose added that surprisingly few of the pieces of sand art turn out to be sand castles.

Another aspect of the seemingly endless activities during the weekend is the salmon bake, which includes activities in itself, like the children’s corn husking competition and a festival of music.

“Last year, we sold 675 salmon dinners,” Chambers said, noting that for a small town event, it can get crowded. She asks that residents who attend from outside of Indianola be kind in their parking and not block residents’ driveway. “My best advice is just to be courteous.”

“This is small town Americana at its best,” Gelose added.