The 70th annual Redmond Derby Days festival is fast approaching.

Most Derby Days events and attractions, including free entertainment, bike rides, parades and food vendors are on or near the campus of Redmond City Hall, 15670 NE 85th St, on Friday, July 9 and Saturday, July 10.

The Funtastic Carnival runs from Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 11 outside the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, 16600 NE 80th St.

2010 Derby Days highlights will include the following:

• Back by popular demand is the free “Friday Night Live” concert outside Redmond City Hall on July 9, sponsored by Redmond-based Nintendo. At 6 p.m. Gentlemen GaGa, finalists from the Old Fire House Teen Center’s 2010 Classic Rockathon will perform. The Daily Flash, playing Northwest ’60s rock, follows at 7 p.m. Headliners, at 8:45 p.m., are The Nowhere Men, playing hits made famous by the Beatles.

Food vendors will be on hand near Redmond City Hall for dinner or snacks. A beer and wine garden (for guests 21 and over) will be sponsored by Redmond’s Black Raven Brewery.

• New this year is the July 9 “REI Friday Night Poker Ride,” benefitting Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center. The 22.5 mile ride through Redmond and Issaquah begins at the Redmond Town Center REI store, 7500 166th Ave. NE, from 5-7 p.m. and ends at Redmond City Hall, where riders will pick up prizes and enjoy the music, food and drinks. Participants can register at www.REI.com.

• Saturday, July 10’s Derby Days excitement begins with the Derby Days Kids’ Parade, the longest running children’s parade in the nation. Parade sign-up begins at 9:15 a.m. in the parking lot at Redmond Medical Center, 8301 161st Ave. NE. The parade starts at 10 a.m. Early arrival is strongly recommended for this popular event.

• The Derby Days Grand Parade immediately follows the Kids’ Parade on Saturday, July 10. Grand Marshals this year are Bob and Shirley Ferguson, who have owned and operated Redmond’s Ben Franklin Crafts and Frame store for 35 years. Best viewing of the bands, drill teams and floats is at the corner of Northeast 85th Street and 161st Avenue Northeast and along 85th Street to Redmond City Hall.

Prizes at this year’s parade will include Grand Derby (Best Overall), Most Community Spirit, Most Original, Best Costume and Mayor’s Choice.

• The Derby Days Criterium, the nation’s longest running bicycle race, starts at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, July 10 with the last race at 7:15 p.m. Race spectators who are 21 or older can watch the fast-paced ride from the Black Raven Brewery Beer and Wine Garden, which opens at 1 p.m. Saturday.

• Thursday, July 8 is Discount Day at the Derby Days Funtastic Carnival. That Thursday only, from 5-10 p.m., seven rides or games are $15. Throughout the rest of the carnival (5-10 p.m. Friday, July 9; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, July 10; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, July 11), rides or games are 75 cents each.

• The carnival also includes a FREE kids’ zone with bouncy houses, Cadman sand box, Lego Master, interactive sidewalk chalk art, Ben Franklin arts and crafts booth and more.

• A new element of Derby Days, the IMPACT Redmond Eco-Fair, runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 10 near the Redmond Senior Center, 8703 160th Ave. NE. It will include a “green” car show, a solar-poweed stage, a Green Redmond business showcase, vendors, prizes and more.

• The Microsoft Entertainment Stage, outside of Redmond City Hall, will feature a diverse selection of lively entertainers on Saturday, July 10. The opening act at noon is the Brazilian samba band Sambatuque. At 2 p.m., Australian blues artist Kara Grainger performs. At 4 p.m., The Dudley Manlove Quartet will play hits from the golden age of pop classics. The Cuban rhythm and salsa act Grupo Ashe begins at 6 p.m. Saturday evening’s headliners, starting at 8 p.m., are Hit Explosion, playing ’70s and ’80s disco and dance tunes.

• At 10 p.m. Saturday, July 10, a spectacular fireworks display near Redmond City Hall concludes the Derby Days festivities.

• Free parking for Derby Days is available at the Redmond City Hall parking garage, Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center and Redmond Town Center. Free shuttle buses will run from 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10, between the parking sites.

• Additional Derby Days-sanctioned events this year include a Derby Days Dash 5K race/walk to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Network, at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 11, starting at Redmond Town Center and proceeding along the Sammamish River Trail. For information, visit www.redmonddash.com.

• Information about the Red-Spoke July 14-18 bike ride from Redmond to Spokane and a 7 p.m. July 9 Friday Night Racing event at the Marymoor Park Velodrome can be found at www.RedmondDerbyDays.com.

• For all Derby Days information, including lists of vendors and more, call the Derby Days Hotline at (425) 556-2299 or visit www.RedmondDerbyDays.com.