After months of planning and anticipation, the Songs of Summer Festival – featuring the music of Michael Shynes and the Fabulous Armadillos – is here. The event is at Memorial Park in Litchfield this year – with gates opening at 4, and music beginning at 5 p.m.; and the Litchfield Civic Arena will be utilized in case of rain.
Amanda Nelson says their website has listed the Civic Arena as the location of the event, but it is at Memorial Park. She says vendors will include the Knights of Columbus with their burger stand, St. Philip’s with water, Boy Scouts with beef sticks, Wrestling Club with brats, LAMP with dirty sodas, Herradura’s, Gypsy Bowls, Litchfield Rescue Squad with 1st aid items, and the American Legion with adult beverages – so it is not a BYOB event.
Nelson says there will be a merchandise tent at the event with t-shirts, can koozies, and raffle tickets. She says they will take Venmo, but you should bring some cash to patronize the vendors and to give a freewill donation.
Sarah Jones says there is just one entrance to get into the Songs of Summer Festival and the stage will be between the playground and the parking lot. She says they will have the Splash Pad, rest rooms and playground fenced in – with a barrier to the beach – so your children should be safe.
Jones says they are so grateful for all of the sponsors who are helping to make the Songs of Summer Festival possible. She says this year’s event will help to support St. Philip’s School, LAMP/Kinship and the Meeker County 4H Horse Club.
Members of the Litchfield Area Mentorship Program will be especially busy the next two evenings – serving food during tonight’s Thriving Thursdays music event in Litchfield’s Central Park and selling dirty sodas during the Songs of Summer Festival Friday night at Memorial Park.
Program Coordinator Jenna Haynie says the events are not just good for raising funds, but also to get exposure for the organization and to try to recruit more mentors. She says there is a long waiting list of children right now who need mentors.
Haynie says they are also looking for Lunch Buddies and there will be orientation for that on September 9th. She says people currently involved in LAMP and volunteers who’ve been involved the past 4 years are invited to a back-to-school BBQ on August 27th which will be a farewell for her as she is resigning from her position. For more information about LAMP, call Jenna at 320-582-5267.
On Tuesday afternoon at 12:28, the Renville County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a residential fire in the 800 block of Oak Avenue in Bird Island. Emergency crews found the residence fully engulfed in flames. Emergency crews were able to contain the fire, but the residence was deemed a total loss.
The Bird Island Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Olivia Fire Department, Bird Island MRU, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshall’s Office. The Minnesota State Fire Marshall’s Office, Bird Island Fire Department, and the Renville County Sheriff’s Office are continuing the investigation into the cause of the fire.
