Ellendale Days adds attractions
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Contributing Writer
The Ellendale Days “old fashioned country town celebration,” coming up June 22-25, promises to be fresh and new this year, with 30-35 craft vendors on Main Street. welcoming both residents and visitors to the community with a variety of items to peruse and sell. And brand new this year is a history tour by the Ellendale Heritage Society, and a guest appearance by some of the past Raiders’ homecoming kings and queens during the parade.
On the History Tour, starting at noon Saturday, a flatbed trailer will carry spectators from the east side of Ellendale near the Cooleyville town sign to various historical sites as an MC gives the history of the area. The trailer will ride by Gus’ Station and the old Ellendale Creamery, which was in business in the 1800s and 1900s. From there, the trailer will pass the railroad track where there used to be a livestock building. Lonny Misgen will give the details on that business. Next, Rollie and Cheryl Johnson will share the history of the Ellington farm. Spectators will then head for the Norby farm, passed the Chuckwagon Drive-In, and passed the Doc Ertel home, where the former country Doctor resided, across the street were Groth Furniture, which became Thompson Furniture. Next to that was the Aronson Garage, concerning which Mary Groth and Roth Aronson will tell of past events. The trailer will then head to 3rd Street and down to the Busho Garage, where several of the Busho descendants will relate its history.
Then, viewers will see the old Power House and Fire House, and go up to the Norby Building, home to several pertinent businesses of their day, and where the Municipal Liquor Store now stands. David Nelson will have a 1950s-model Allis Chalmers tractor on location to view. Spectators will also learn the history of the barber shop, hardware store, and Lerberg’s grocery store, where they will be greeted by Andy Lerberg. Dan Nelson will give a history of the two banks, and Ron Leak will tell of Ron’s poultry businesses. Dale Mowers, former depot agent, will give a history of the railroad there, which had rail cars and passenger cars, and, after crossing the railroad tracks, those in attendance will learn of the history of the elevators. Ron Kaiser, son of the last blacksmith in Ellendale, will give the history of the blacksmith shop, and finally, spectators will ride past the lumber yard, past the school, and back to the Cooleyville town marker, where their journey began. If there is something you wanted to learn about on the History Tour that isn’t on the agenda, don’t despair! The Heritage Society plans to add new sites and change the itinerary each year.
Thursday, June 22
There will be a Walk for Alzheimer’s, for which participants will line up at the Ellendale Municipal at 6 p.m.
Friday, June 23
The Lutheran Church rummage sale will take place from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Lions Club Meat Raffle at the Municipal Liquor Store will take place at 6 p.m. Also at 6 p.m. will be a Cash Bingo game, sponsored by the Ellendale Community Action Group at the Community Center with an unsung hero winner announcement at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., Family Movie Night is planned at the Community Center, and at 8 p.m., the Dan Stursa band will entertain with polka music behind the bar.
Saturday, June 24
City-wide garage sales take place all day on Saturday. Call 507-684-2681 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday, June 19 at 1. if you are having a garage sale. Please give the address, dates and times of your garage sale. A map with this information to have available by June 21. At 7 a.m., there will be coffee and rolls at the bus garage, sponsored by the Lion’s Club. At 8 a.m., there will be a car show at the bus garage, and at 10 a.m., a human foosball game will be held south of the Post Office. At 11 a.m., there will be a Lion’s Club food wagon by the bank. At noon, the History Tour of Ellendale begins.
The Lutheran Church rummage sale continues from 8 a.m.–noon. At 4 p.m. the parade begins. The parade promises to be extra special this year, with floats carrying some of the past kings and queens from the old Ellendale-Geneva High School. Also at 4 pm, there will be kids’ games sponsored by the Lions Club behind the bank. At 4:30 p.m., there will be turtle races by the bank, and a kiddie tractor pull. At 5 p.m., there will be a pork chop supper at the Community Center, put on by the Commercial Club, and from 9-12 p.m., there will be a youth dance, while the High Street Band plays country, classic rock and modern rock behind the bar.
Sunday, June 25
At 10 a.m., there will be a Community Church Service at the City Park, followed by a lunch sponsored by the Lions Club. Registration for the tractor pull by the bus garage begins at 11:30, and a Lion’s Club food wagon will be available during the event. At 12:30, ECAG will sponsor a softball game by the Fire Department taking place by the bus garage.