The Litchfield Marching Band had a busy weekend. On Saturday they took first place in Class AA in Owatonna. They also got the awards for Best Winds and Best Color Guard.
From there they traveled to Waconia for the Lake Waconia Band Festival and received first place in Class AA and also was awarded Best Colorguard, Best Winds and Best Drumline.
They marched on Sunday in Hutchinson. No awards were awarded as this was an exhibition parade.
Tonight they will travel to Roseville to participate in the Rose Parade.
One of this summer’s music concerts in Litchfield’s Central Park will celebrate America’s 250th birthday. The West Central Barbershop Chorus will present “250 years of American Music” on July 2nd from 6-to-8 p.m.
Chorus member Rick Sandry says they will be wearing their tuxedos that evening. He says the concert is made possible with a Southwest Minnesota Arts Council grant.
Sandry says he began singing barbershop music in 1976, took a few years off to drive semi, but has been back at it the past 35 years. Jon Schmidt says he joined the West Central Barbershop Chorus about 10 years ago. He says there are close to 18 members and they will sing about 9 numbers – mostly from the last century.
Schmidt says they will sing the set that they performed in Willmar last spring, and it’s all memorized. Bob Starz says the West Central Barbershop Chorus has performed in several other states and in Canada. He says barbershop is fun music that can be heard all over the world.
Starz says he started performing barbershop music in 1978 and was in a chorus in Upstate New York, then moved back to Minnesota and performed in Rochester and then in Willmar. He says people should attend their concert on July 2nd at 6 p.m. in Litchfield’s Central Park and celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
By the way, this Thursday’s concert – June 25th – in Central Park will be the Dad & Drea show with Terry Shaw and his daughter, Andrea, and the Meeker County Dairy Princesses will be serving ice cream.
The 70th annual Litchfield Watercade celebration is coming up July 9th through the 12th. Some events actually begin before that – such as the Medallion Hunt on July 6th and the 2nd annual Pickle Ball Tournament at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center on July 6th.
Watercade Board member Sara Miller says registration forms for several Watercade events can be found at watercade.com. She says there are some events that are not coordinated by the Watercade Board, but they include them on their posters such as the blood drive at Ecumen on July 7th from 10-to-4, the LAMP pork chop supper July 7th from 4:30-to-6:30 at the Fieldgate Pavilion, the Center Bank Brat Feed on July 9th from 4-to-6 p.m., and the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast on July 10th from 6:30-to-12:30 in Central Park.
Miller says the Beach Party is on July 10th from 6-to-9 p.m. at Lake Ripley Beach and there is no sand sculpture contest this year. She says there will be lots of vendors at Memorial Park that evening and the fireworks show that night will be extra special as this is the 70th anniversary.
Miller says July 11th will be the busiest day of the weekend with 4 and 8-mile runs, the fishing contest, bike dig, art-in-the-park, the kiddie parade – and more – including the Grande Day Parade at 6 p.m. She says much of what they do would not be possible without their sponsors.
Miller says the 70th annual Litchfield Watercade celebration will conclude on July 12th with a golf tournament at 10 a.m., Junior Royalty Coronation at 12:30 (which is free), and the Coronation of the new Miss Litchfield at 3 p.m. in the Bernie Aaker Auditorium. Admission for that is $10 or $5 with a Watercade button. She says there are tennis and softball tournaments taking place throughout the Watercade weekend and for more details on any events or for registration information, go to watercade.com.
Atwater is observing its 150th anniversary this year, and there are some special additions to this year’s Atwater Festival Days celebration this weekend. One of them is a street dance tonight featuring the Johnny Holm Band from 9-to-midnight.
There’s also a get-together at the museum in Atwater at 500 Pleasant Avenue this evening from 7-to-9 p.m. Cookies, lemonade and coffee will be served. Atwater’s 150th birthday will also be observed with a special event on Saturday from noon-to-2 at the Atwater Methodist Church. There will be a light lunch, accordion music by Larry Johnson from 12:15-to-12:45, kid’s activities and more.
There’s a kiddie parade on Saturday at 1 p.m. in downtown Atwater and the grand parade at 3:20 p.m. tomorrow, followed by a community dinner from 5-to-7 p.m. in the Community Center. Pork chops will be served along with potato salad, pasta salad, watermelon and cake for freewill donations. The fire department water ball fight is at 6 p.m. Saturday evening and there will be fireworks at dusk Saturday night. There’s a golf tournament on Sunday at Island Pine at 1 p.m. Go to the Atwater Festival Days Facebook page for more details.
Meeker Area Ministries (MAM) will hold an annual meeting on July 21st at 10 a.m. at 409 North Sibley Avenue in Litchfield. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. Refreshments will be served. Julie Pennertz says people can learn more about the organization at the annual meeting.
She says the homelessness that Meeker Area Ministries deals with looks different than it would in a big city, but it is reality and they try to help people get back on their feet and find their way. She says the people they serve have often lost their jobs and their life savings.
Rochelle Brummond says they come alongside people who are homeless, mentor them, and can provide transitional housing for them. She says their priority is homeless families with children as they want to make sure children have stability.
Brummond says the homeless often have trouble trying to rent a place to live when they are getting back on their feet as they have no references and Meeker Area Ministries can provide the referral they need for their landlord. She says if anyone is willing to make a donation to MAM, checks may be sent to P.O. Box 192, Litchfield, MN 55355, and if anyone has questions, they may call her at 320-693-7911.