Geneva set to host game feed

Published 11:28 am Thursday, December 5, 2013

GENEVA — The Geneva Wild Game Feed may be in its 29th year of existence, but that doesn’t mean that new things aren’t added to the event every year.

Steve Bailey, an event organizer, said that some new food items this year are sandhill crane, bear and alligator. The game feed starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday and will be at the Geneva Bar & Grill.

“Another thing that is different is we’re going to do deep-fried turkey gizzards,” Bailey said. “There’s some different things on the menu, and we try to cook some stuff in different ways.”

Email newsletter signup

Last year Bailey said they went through 1,062 plates and he estimated that there were around 1,000 people in attendance at some point. This year there will be elk, black bear, venison and 90 pounds of meatballs. Bailey said they had been working all week getting the food ready.

“I think we’re making a difference,” he said about the game feed’s charity efforts over the past 28 years. “I think it’s helping; we might not see it here, but five years from now there might be a big change (in cancer treatment). You just never know.”

There is no admission price, though a donation will be collected. Proceeds go to the Geneva Cancer Auction. Bailey said that the game feed alone donated $20,000 to the cancer auction last year.

“You can go through the line more than once if you want to eat more,” he said. “We don’t care how much you eat.”

Though the wild game main courses are the highlight of the meal, there will be no shortage of side dishes.

“Mrs. Gerry’s helps us with potatoes. There’s stuffing and salad and beans and chilli,” Bailey said.

“Another lady makes a whole bunch of different hot dishes. This year we’re also going to have elk stew, with carrots and potatoes from a local guy’s garden in town.”

There will be a raffle throughout the day on Saturday. Firearms will be the prizes. For more information on the event, the Geneva Bar & Grill can be reached at 507-256-7278.