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Cold and rain doesn’t dampen Festival Days spirit

Cold and rain doesn't dampen Festival Days spirit

By Debbie Vandeberg

The cold and rain didn't dampen the community spirits for the 30th Roundup Celebration of Havre Festival Days. Thank you all that participated in the many Festival Days weekend activities. The schedule was filled with something for everyone to enjoy. Our many thanks go to the numerous volunteers, the vendors, the businesses, community organizations and our Festival Days sponsor partner Montana State University-Northern for helping the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce make the weekend a huge success.

It was so exciting to see the energy placed into the building of celebration floats. Thank you to all that contributed to the success of the parade through participation and to the community for coming out in force, despite the cold, to support the parade. Congratulations to Triangle Communications for winning the Mayor's Choice Award and to the Hill County Health Department for being selected the Best Commercial Float and to the Cub Scouts for receiving the Best Non-Commercial honors.

It truly takes a community to accomplish a successful Festival Days Celebration. And the thank-yous start with Tony Vigliotti for his guidance and his support crew of Rachel Dean, Julie Holt, Jacob and Lindsay Lorang, Cindy Knudson, Kathy and Mike Palmer, Kyndra Moore, Jay Burrington, Bob Doney Stacey Hazelton, Mindy Pizega and Kelly Matter.

Many enjoyed the music of the South Alberta Pipe and Drum Band during the parade and at the Chamber's Ag Appreciation Banquet. The band also entertained many on Saturday evening as they made their traditional "tavern crawl." Thanks to the Havre Lions Club for their sponsorship of the band and keeping this wonderful tradition alive.

People were everywhere — from the opening events and activities on Friday — to the final event on Sunday, there was truly something for everyone.

The craft and commercial products show was a great success under the volunteer leadership of Gerry Dolven. Thank you, Gerry, for your commitment to the continued success of the craft show.

As I noted earlier, it takes a community to make Festival Days. And the success of the weekend goes to the groups that organized and hosted the long list of activities that filled the weekend's schedule — from the Kiwanis Pancake Day to the Festival Run/Walk, the Jaycees Soap Box Derby, the book sale, the quilt show, the demolition derby, the 48-hour softball tournament, the croquet tournament and ice cream social, the teen dance and car audio fights — thank you to all of you for your time and commitment.

The mugs were again a sell out! Thanks to all Chamber member businesses that participated in the mug promotion and supported the Festival Days button promotion.

Businesses donated products and gift cards towards button prizes. The grand prize basket valued over $500 included two round-trip tickets on Great Lakes Airlines to Billings and was won by Gene Kenney. The second-place prize basket was won by Linda Warburton and was valued at over $300. The winning button numbers were 511 and 827.

Getting the word out is always the key to a successful event, and we thank the radio and the newspaper for giving Festival Days weekend such great coverage. To the Crystal City Casino, thank you for sponsoring the Festival Day's flyer with the weekend's schedule of events.

Thank You! City department heads — police and fire department — for all of your help and support. The support you give the Chamber is unsurpassed.

I venture to say every event in our community is supported or sponsored by private business. They are certainly responsible for the success of this Chamber event and all of our events and projects. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our members.

The weekend's success would not have been obtained without the continued support from the many volunteers and willingness of the many different entities of the community to come together on this third weekend in September to throw a community celebration for all to enjoy.

Many compliments have been received with regards to the weekend and that's because many people jumped in and helped. When a request or a need developed, someone was there to help. As you can see, events like Havre Festival Days, just don't happen, it truly takes a community.

The S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. Market wrapped up on Saturday after a grand summer. The market grew to 38 vendors with an average of 30 each weekend. Thank you to all vendors who made the market a fun place to shop and to the community for supporting the market. See you next summer.

The Chamber's Agri-Business Committee hosted their 15th Annual Ag Appreciation Banquet on Saturday evening of Festival Days. The banquet was attended by over 430 farmers, ranchers and ag producers. The crowd enjoyed a prime rib dinner and time with friends. Thanks to all who donated to the banquet. Funds from the banquet support agriculture scholarships at MSU-Northern. Thank you to the businesses that sponsored tickets, door prizes and auction items.

The cold and rain didn't dampen the community spirits for the 30th Roundup Celebration of Havre Festival Days. Thank you all that participated in the many Festival Days weekend activities. The schedule was filled with something for everyone to enjoy. Our many thanks go to the numerous volunteers, the vendors, the businesses, community organizations and our Festival Days sponsor partner Montana State University-Northern for helping the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce make the weekend a huge success.

It was so exciting to see the energy placed into the building of celebration floats. Thank you to all that contributed to the success of the parade through participation and to the community for coming out in force, despite the cold, to support the parade. Congratulations to Triangle Communications for winning the Mayor's Choice Award and to the Hill County Health Department for being selected the Best Commercial Float and to the Cub Scouts for receiving the Best Non-Commercial honors.

It truly takes a community to accomplish a successful Festival Days Celebration. And the thank-yous start with Tony Vigliotti for his guidance and his support crew of Rachel Dean, Julie Holt, Jacob and Lindsay Lorang, Cindy Knudson, Kathy and Mike Palmer, Kyndra Moore, Jay Burrington, Bob Doney Stacey Hazelton, Mindy Pizega and Kelly Matter.

Many enjoyed the music of the South Alberta Pipe and Drum Band during the parade and at the Chamber's Ag Appreciation Banquet. The band also entertained many on Saturday evening as they made their traditional "tavern crawl." Thanks to the Havre Lions Club for their sponsorship of the band and keeping this wonderful tradition alive.

People were everywhere — from the opening events and activities on Friday — to the final event on Sunday, there was truly something for everyone.

The craft and commercial products show was a great success under the volunteer leadership of Gerry Dolven. Thank you, Gerry, for your commitment to the continued success of the craft show.

As I noted earlier, it takes a community to make Festival Days. And the success of the weekend goes to the groups that organized and hosted the long list of activities that filled the weekend's schedule — from the Kiwanis Pancake Day to the Festival Run/Walk, the Jaycees Soap Box Derby, the book sale, the quilt show, the demolition derby, the 48-hour softball tournament, the croquet tournament and ice cream social, the teen dance and car audio fights — thank you to all of you for your time and commitment.

The mugs were again a sell out! Thanks to all Chamber member businesses that participated in the mug promotion and supported the Festival Days button promotion.

Businesses donated products and gift cards towards button prizes. The grand prize basket valued over $500 included two round-trip tickets on Great Lakes Airlines to Billings and was won by Gene Kenney. The second-place prize basket was won by Linda Warburton and was valued at over $300. The winning button numbers were 511 and 827.

Getting the word out is always the key to a successful event, and we thank the radio and the newspaper for giving Festival Days weekend such great coverage. To the Crystal City Casino, thank you for sponsoring the Festival Day's flyer with the weekend's schedule of events.

Thank You! City department heads — police and fire department — for all of your help and support. The support you give the Chamber is unsurpassed.

I venture to say every event in our community is supported or sponsored by private business. They are certainly responsible for the success of this Chamber event and all of our events and projects. We are extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our members.

The weekend's success would not have been obtained without the continued support from the many volunteers and willingness of the many different entities of the community to come together on this third weekend in September to throw a community celebration for all to enjoy.

Many compliments have been received with regards to the weekend and that's because many people jumped in and helped. When a request or a need developed, someone was there to help. As you can see, events like Havre Festival Days, just don't happen, it truly takes a community.

The S.A.T.U.R.D.A.Y. Market wrapped up on Saturday after a grand summer. The market grew to 38 vendors with an average of 30 each weekend. Thank you to all vendors who made the market a fun place to shop and to the community for supporting the market. See you next summer.

The Chamber's Agri-Business Committee hosted their 15th Annual Ag Appreciation Banquet on Saturday evening of Festival Days. The banquet was attended by over 430 farmers, ranchers and ag producers. The crowd enjoyed a prime rib dinner and time with friends. Thanks to all who donated to the banquet. Funds from the banquet support agriculture scholarships at MSU-Northern. Thank you to the businesses that sponsored tickets, door prizes and auction items.

(Debbie Vandeberg is executive director of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce.)

 

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