Several activities have been called the unofficial start of Pendleton Round-Up one of those is this mornings free Main Street Cowboys Dress-Up Parade.

If you havent already done so, dust off your boots and cowboy hat, grab a lawn chair and head down to Main Street. And for those who want to make last-minute entries into the parade, registration begins at 7 a.m. at the Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate. Parade lineup is finalized by 9:30 a.m. and it gets rolling at 10 a.m.

The parade route begins at Pendleton City Hall, 500 S.W. Dorion Ave., and travels east along Dorion to Southeast 10th Street, and then west on Court Avenue to the Round-Up Grounds. The main announcers stand is at the corner of Southeast Court Avenue and Main Street.

Sunday features a Community Worship Celebration coordinated by the Pendleton Ministerial Fellowship. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. at Roy Raley Park, 1205 S.W. Court Ave. After the service, theres a free barbecue.

The community is invited to bring a chair or blanket and worship in the outdoors. Jordan Weaver, an Assemblies of God licensed minister who has worked with the Cowboy Church Fellowship, will present the message.

Charlie Walker, a country and western gospel musician, will lead a cowboy church service Tuesday after slack, around 6 p.m., in the south grandstands at the Round-Up Grounds. Hailing from Prineville, Walker grew up in Kentucky and started singing songs such as I Never Picked Cotton and Do Lord. Sponsored by the Blue Mountain Christian Cowboys, the event is free. Walker will have his CDs available for purchase.

In addition to performances of the Pendleton PBR Classic and the Round-Up, this is the 30th year of the Childrens Rodeo. Children ages 5-9 with special needs will be cowboys and cowgirls for the day as they pair up with cowboys to participate in rodeo activities.

The Childrens Rodeo is Wednesday after morning slack around 11:30 a.m. Viewing the performance is free for those who have tickets for Wednesdays Round-Up.

And for the Greatest Free Show in the West, be sure to check out the Main Street Cowboys entertainment throughout the week. Musicians, dance teams and comedy acts entertain the crowds in the Main Street blocks. A full schedule is available at www.mainstreetcowboys.org.

Contact Community Editor Tammy Malgesini at tmalgesini@eastoregonian.com or 541-564-4539.