Posted: 6/28/05
Eitzen July 4th Family Fun Fest this weekend
Eitzen will be hopping this weekend as the city celebrates its annual Fourth of July Family Fun Fest.
The event, sponsored by the Eitzen Lions, goes from Saturday to Monday with an amazing number of events.
The parade at noon on Monday will be fantastic as usual, Lionsí president Rowland Cordes predicted on June 23. ìWe always have over 100 units. And weíre going to have some fireworks that we think are going to be better than ever.î
The fireworks, which are at 10 p.m. on Monday, will be provided by a new vendor this year, Bill Moore of Lansing, Iowa, who owns Above and Beyond Pyrotechnics.
ìWe thought it would be just as good to have someone else do it,î Cordes said. ìIt takes a lot of Lions members, a lot of wives and volunteer to put this on in a small town. Thatíll save some labor.î
It will also let the fire department be prepared for what they do best, fight fires, and thatís probably a good thing considering how dry conditions are, Cordes added.
Another new look at the Fun Fest is Mike McAbeeís entertainment on Sunday night in place of karaoke. ìHeís also going to entertain the kids the next day [at 3 p.m.],î Cordes said.
The co-ed softball tournament, which starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, will be new too, Cordes said.
The demolition derbies on Monday are highlights of the event. The car derby starts at 1:30 p.m., with a bigger one for combines, pickups, and mini-vans at 7 p.m. The combine derby is a big draw, Cordes said.
Sunday also features the Tri-State Tractor Pullers tractor and truck pull at 7:30 p.m.
Throughout Monday the Eitzen Museum will be open, and other activities take place, such as co-ed volleyball tournament starting at 8:30 a.m., a pedal pull at 9 a.m., face painting and the Country Cousins Petting Zoo starting at 11 a.m., a chicken dinner at 11 a.m., free ìKaptin Kirbyî train rides for kids starting at 1:30 p.m., kidsí games at 2:30, a sawdust money pile at 4 p.m., karaoke by Fordyce Brevig at 4 p.m., and a raffle drawing at 9:30 p.m.
A flea market will be open all three days.
For more information, call 507-495-3381, or visit the information booth on the fest grounds.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com