Weekend Planner: Festivals dot area’s landscape

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 10, 2003

Three area cities are celebrating what it means to be a &uot;community&uot; this weekend. Lake Mills, Iowa, has its annual July Jubilee, New Richland has its Farm and City Days and Hayward has Hayward Days. All three festivals are packed with events.

Read on for what is planned all over the area this weekend:

Friday, July 11

Email newsletter signup

-The Lake Mills July Jubilee celebration gets under way with a rendezvous at Big Horn Woods, a quilt show at Lake Mills Care Center and miniature golf at Oakwood Park. From 4:30-7:30 p.m. there will be a pitchfork fondue steak supper at Oakwood Park. The Little Miss Pageant will be held at the Lake Mills Care Center at 5:30 p.m. From 8 p.m. to midnight, there will be a street dance featuring Disco Knights downtown on North First Avenue West.

-The original illustrations of Joni Oeltjenbruns, a children’s author and illustrator, are being exhibited at the Albert Lea Art Center, 224 S. Broadway Ave., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

-The Lea College reunion kicks off with registration from noon-6 p.m. at the Country Inn and Suites. A mixer will be held at Philly’s Bar and Grill beginning at 6 p.m.

-Farm and City Days events in New Richland get under way. Carnival and concessions arrive. A pee-wee baseball tournament begins at Legion Field at 10 a.m. Art in the park is at 1 p.m. The New Richland Area Sportsmen’s Club open house and fun trap shoot will be from 5-8 p.m. A Lions’ dunk tank downtown next to the bank runs from 6-9 p.m. A community variety show will be held at the American Legion Club beginning at 7 p.m. There will be a street dance featuring the Johnny Holm Band from 8:45 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

-The Conger Volunteer Fire Department will have a pork chop supper from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Conger Fire Hall. Cost is $7.50 per person. The menu includes pork chops, potato salad, beans and rolls. Pop and beer will be available for purchase. Proceeds will go toward new coats and helmets for the firefighters.

-The Pelican Breeze will hold a pizza cruise at 6 p.m. Reservations are required before 4 p.m. Friday. Call 383-2630 for reservations.

-Albert Lea Community Theatre and the Freeborn County Historical Museum team up to present a real, old-fashioned, one-act melodrama, “He Ain’t Done Right By Nell.” It will be held in a tent set up at the Freeborn County Historical Village, 1031 Bridge Ave. The gate near the schoolhouse will open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance begins at 7:30. Seating will be provided, but you may want to bring your own comfortable folding chairs. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students 16 and under. Popcorn, peanuts, dill pickles, and sarsaparilla will be available for snacking (and/or throwing at the villain).

Saturday, July 12

-New Richland Farm and City Days continues. A pancake breakfast will be served at the American Legion from 7-10 a.m. It’s free with a Farm and City Days button. There will also be a bake sale at the Legion during those hours. A car show will be held on North Broadway from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. with registration from 8 to 11 a.m. and awards at 1 p.m. Carnival rides and concessions will be available from 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

A 12-and-under baseball tournament and a 15-and-under baseball tournament begin at Legion Fields beginning at 9 a.m. The historical society open house and display at Washburn House opens at 10 a.m. A Kids On Wheels Parade begins at 11 a.m. at city hall. There will be duck races in the creek by the city park at 12:30 p.m. A public showing of the flower show will take place in city hall from 1-4 p.m. Wrist-band day for rides runs from 1-4 p.m. The Sportsmen’s Club water balloon turkey shoot downtown runs from 4-9 p.m. Lions bingo in the city park is from 1-9 p.m. Children’s tractor races downtown start at 2 p.m. A street dance with music by Minds Eye runs from 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

-The Albert Lea Farmers’ Market is open in the parking lot at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Water Street from 9 a.m.-noon.

-Hayward Days events get under way. A volleyball tournament starts at 8 a.m. There will be a bake sale and coffee at Hayward Lutheran Church from 7:30-10 a.m. The Hayward Booster Club will operate a food stand beginning at 1 p.m. serving Nick’s bratwurst, hot dogs and pork patties and ice cream. The Hayward Fire Department will present mud bog races at Becker Auto Sales at 1 p.m. with registration from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. There will be free art for kids, including sidewalk chalk, a potter’s wheel, face painting and more under the tent in the afternoon. A motorcycle show will take place on Front Street from 3-6 p.m. There will be bingo from 1-5 p.m. with proceeds going toward Hayward’s Blazing Star Trail. There will be two street dances near Uncle Gilby’s Bar, from 5-9 p.m. with music by &uot;The Seeds,&uot; and from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. with music by &uot;Maxx Cabello.&uot;

-July Jubilee events continue in Lake Mills. A rendezvous, quilt show and miniature golf continue all day. The kiddie parade starts at 9:30 a.m. The regular parade is at 10:30 a.m. A community picnic at Oakwood Park runs from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. An antique tractor show at a parking lot west of Lake Mills School runs from 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. There will be local entertainment at Oakwood Park from noon-1:30 p.m. Bingo at Truman Helgeson Civic Center begins at 2 p.m. A sanctioned tractor pedal pull and classic car cruise start at 4 p.m. Fireworks begin at the football field at 10 a.m.

-The Humane Society of Freeborn County is having a pet adoption day from 10 a.m. to noon at John Carlson Photography, 109 N. Mill, Lake Mills. There is a big variety of cats, kittens and dogs available for adoption.

-The original illustrations of Joni Oeltjenbruns, a children’s author and illustrator, are being exhibited at the Albert Lea Art Center, 224 S. Broadway Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

-Andersen’s Hallmark in Northbridge Mall will unveil its new collectible ornaments at the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Premiere from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

-The Pelican Breeze will hold a picnic cruise at 11 a.m. This includes picnic fare at a mystery dock site. Call 383-2630 for reservations.

-The Pelican Breeze will hold a public cruise at 2 p.m.

Sunday, July 13

-It’s the final day for Farm and City Days in New Richland. There’s a pancake breakfast from 7-10 a.m. at the American Legion. At 10:30 a.m., a community worship service begins in the park. Pork producers serve pork sandwiches,at

City Park beginning at 11:30 a.m. Carnival rides and concessions start at noon. The 19th Annual Farm and City Days Parade runs from 1-3 p.m. Post-parade entertainment in the city park starts at 3 p.m., as do Lions bingo in the city park and the Sportsmen’s Club water balloon turkey shoot, downtown.

-As part of Hayward Days, a community church service will be held at 10 a.m. at Hayward Lutheran Church. There will be coffee and fellowship before the service.

-July Jubilee events conclude in Lake Mills with the rendezvous all day, radio-controlled airplanes at the airport at 11 a.m., and quilt show judging results at 3 p.m.

-The Lea College reunion concludes with a brunch at the Days Inn (Budget Host) from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

-The Full House Band of Glenville will present the weekly free program of live music in Edgewater Park at 1:30 p.m. The band plays country and old-time music as well as a variety of other types. The band includes Kevin Walton as leader and playing lead guitar and fiddle, Terri Jo Walton on drums, Renae Herr on accordion, keyboards and acoustic guitar and Jim Berg on bass guitar.

-The Pelican Breeze will hold a special cruise with Jordan Elleby on banjo at 2 p.m.

-The open house reception for Joni Oeltjenbruns will be held from 2-4 p.m. at the Albert Lea Art Center, 224 S. Broadway. Oeltjenbruns, a children’s author and illustrator, is exhibiting her original illustrations and will be available to autograph books. There is no admission charge; refreshments will be served.