Morin Lake Days is this weekend
Published 1:25 pm Thursday, June 18, 2009
June 19
Noon — Medallion hunt begins. New clues each day at noon and 6 p.m.
1-3 p.m. — Lions Club Fishing Contest at Morin Lake Park shelter.
1-4 p.m. — Alden Museum open for self guided tours
5-7:30 p.m. — Boy/Cub Scout Toop 11 & Pack 11 Supper by the lake for $6.
6:30 p.m. — Alden Legion Auxiliary Parade Kiddie Parade on Walter Street
Evening — Sons of American Legion Softball Tournament
June 20
All day — Food stands
All day – Softball tournament
8-11 a.m. — Coffee & treats at United Methodist Church
9 a.m. — Fun run: 10 kilometer run, 3 mile run and 1 mile walk/run. $15 entry fee.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Alden Museum open for self guided tours.
10:30 a.m. — Fugleskudning “The Great Dane Shoot” at Freeborn County Co-op
11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Home Based Business Vendors in Multi-Purpose Room addition of Alden-Conger School
Noon — Luncheon in new Multi-Purpose Room addition of Alden-Conger School for $6.
Early Evening — Remax Realty Hot Air Balloon in Alden Conger School Athletic Field.
7 p.m. — Parade with Alden Lion’s club members as grand marshals
8:15 p.m. — Entertainment in lake parking lot
8:30 p.m.-midnight — Teen Street Dance on Walter Street by the bank
Evening — Alden American Legion Street Dance with entrance through the Legion or the north end of the alley. Must be 21 or older and have ID.
Dusk — Fireworks over Morin Lake
June 21
All day — Softball tournament and food stand at North Park
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Lions Club Pancake Breakfast
9:30 a.m. — Worship by the water
The 20th annual Morin Lake Days celebration June 19-21 will include the opening of new south wing of the Alden-Conger School, and it will include events that date back 100 years.
“A lot of people look forward to it to come back and visit the community. It’s almost like a homecoming,” said Donna Schmidt, city clerk. Schmidt has been involved in every celebration, and she recalled the first one in 1990 when former Gov. Rudy Perpich’s Celebrate Minnesota grant helped spark the project.
A big part of that homecoming this year will be an open house and dedication for the new south wing of the Alden-Conger School. The multi-purpose room will include a gym and an elevated walking track. There will also be a fitness center, a science room, early family childhood education classroom, a parent room, the district office, locker rooms and conference rooms.
The Alden celebration will begin with a medallion hunt at noon on Friday, June,
Dedication is at 9 p.m. Saturday evening.
Past Morin Lake Days have had a theme, but this year the committee decided not to have a theme. The members of the Alden Lion’s Club will be the grand marshals of the parade.
For the first time, Remax International Inc. will bring out a hot air balloon.
The Morin Lake Days committee will host yearly events like “The Great Dane Shoot” will be at 10:30 a.m. Donna said the event has been a part of the celebration since 1991. The sharpshooting contest was in newspapers from late 1800s in the Alden area, Donna said. Targets are attached to a 30 foot pole, and shooters aim for the target. Whoever hits the breastplate is given the grand prize.
The fun run is Saturday at 9 a.m. The committee will also host a teen street dance on West Street by the bank at 8:30 Saturday.
“A lot of that stuff has been going on year after year of this celebration,” said Natalie Schmidt, chairwoman of Morin Lake Days and Donna’s daughter.
Various organizations around the community will put on different events. The Alden American Legion will hosts an adult street dance at 8:30 Saturday, and the host the softball tournaments throughout the day Saturday and Sunday in North Park. The Legion Auxiliary puts on the kiddie parade at 6:30 p.m. Friday. And the Boy and Cub Scout troops will host a dinner for 5 to 7:30 p.m. Friday for $6.
A Morin Lake Days parade will be Saturday at 7 p.m., and fireworks will be held at dusk Saturday.
“The crowd for the fireworks has really been growing over the years. It’s really a nice show because they shoot them right out over the lake. And basically you can sit on any side of the lake, because it’s fairly small, and you’re going to see a wonderful show,” Natalie said.