Friendship Days, ‘Past in the Park’ activities to take place in Mondovi

by Beth Kraft

The annual Mondovi Friendship Days and the Mondovi Area Historical Society’s “The Past in the Park” event will take place this weekend, June 26-28, culminating with the Mondovi EMS Run/Walk and fireworks display on Saturday, July 4. 

To begin the festivities, the crowning of Miss Mondovi 2015 and her court took place Wednesday evening at the Roger Marten Community Center.

Saturday’s Friendship Days events, organized by the Mondovi Business Association, will commence with the Grand Parade at 1 p.m. in downtown Mondovi. The parade route will run north on Eau Claire Street to Mill St. and west to the Buffalo County Fairgrounds.

The parade will be followed by a performance by “Two Frets Up” in the beer tent at the fairgrounds.

The ninth annual Friendship Days Truck & Tractor Pull will begin at 4 p.m. at the fairgrounds Saturday afternoon. Admission is free for all spectators.

The pull will feature 21 classes total with an entry fee of $25 per class. Weigh-ins start at 2 p.m.

Food including charcoaled chicken prepared by Buzz’s Bar & Grill, Gunderson’s brats and hot dogs and more will be served all day Saturday at the fairgrounds beginning at 11:30 a.m.

The second annual 3-on-3 girls and boys basketball tournament, sponsored by the Mondovi Athletic Association, will also take place this weekend at the Mondovi School. Friday’s games will feature youths in grades 6 through high school while Saturday’s games will be for grades 3-5.

On Sunday the Historical Society’s fifth annual “The Past in the Park” event will run from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Tourist Park on Mondovi’s south side.

All of the park’s historical buildings will be open with guides in the Rural Life, Machine Shed and School House museums. Old tractor and equipment and old car displays will also be featured.

Craft and old small farm equipment demonstrations will also be offered in addition to children’s games at the School House Museum.

Additionally, the Eleva-Strum High School History Club will once again be taking part in “The Past in the Park.”  The student group will be portraying a voyageurs fur traders rendezvous this year. There will also be a replica of Roger Marten’s first milk truck on display, and Ken Anderson, the “Mayberry Guru,” will be on hand with his replica of Andy and Barney’s squad car.

Other scheduled events will begin with  music by local couple Neil and Mary Segerstrom at 1:30 p.m. followed by an old-fashioned Fourth of July Speech given by Mondovi’s Sara Erickson at 2 p.m.

At 2:30 p.m., the Mondovi Community Band will take center stage to entertain with patriotic selections.

Food will be provided by the youth of the Mondovi Community Youth Center.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the free event at the park.

Friendship Days events will continue next Saturday, July 4, beginning in the morning with the Mondovi Friendship Days EMS Walk/Run. 

Both the five mile run and two mile run/fun walk through the streets of Mondovi begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Mondovi High School football field. 

Race-day registration will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. at a cost of $20 per person. First and second place finishers in each age division will receive awards. All participants will receive a T-shirt.

A children’s race for ages 6 and under will take place at 9:30 a.m. at a cost of $10 per entry.

All race proceeds benefit the Mondovi EMS.

The Fourth of July fireworks display at Mirror Lake will cap off the festivities next Saturday night.