Plans for the Staples Railroad Days activities for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27, 28 and 29,are shaping up to be quite a community celebration

Although committees have been meeting and organizing for some time, the various groups planning events for Railroad Days met July 16 to make sure everything is being coordinated and will work well together.

Causing more than a few problems this summer is the ‘turnback’ construction project on old Highway 10, which is underway along the city’s Second Avenue. Navigating around the construction has been and will be an issue for the event that is a month away.

New this year is a medallion hunt during the week prior to the celebration, sponsored by the Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union.

This year’s events will kick off on Friday with, among other events, a citywide garage sale, pre-car show events and fireworks on Friday night.

Saturday’s events will include the all school reunion, 15th annual Still Cruisin’ car show, Chili cook-off and craft show, parade and street dance. Sunday there will be several events sponsored by the Staples Historical Society at the depot, including afternoon performances of a local railroad history play set to music. There will also be a concert Sunday afternoon by Wayne Renn at Lincoln School Park on the city’s south side.

All School Reunion

Mike Blessing, chair of the All School Reunion, said last week alumni can register from 8 a.m.- noon Saturday at the Staples Motley High School cafeteria.

Other rooms near the cafeteria in the high school have been reserved for classes that wish to meet on their own. Overflow space will be available at the Staples Community Center. The high school gymnasium is in a major renovation project and is not available.

The committee is organizing bus tours of the community’s medical facilities and senior housing options in the afternoon.

For more information or to help call Blessing at 218- 894-2337.

Car show

The Still Cruisin’ Car Club is expecting close to 700 cars for their 15th annual car show Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Staples Elementary School, according to Tony Walthall.

Vehicles entering the show will be directed off Highway 10 onto either First (NJPA) or Second St. NE (Burger King) to head north and enter the elementary school grounds for the car show. The street route will be determined by progress on the turnback construction project

Participants will be eligible for many door prizes including two engines. A used car corral and a swap meet of auto related items will be available.

The car club also has arranged for vendors and concessions on the grounds.

A mini-car show will be held Friday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Nyhus Chevrolet. Friday evening Twisted Sisters will have a car show kickoff party.

For more information see www.stillcruisingcarclub. com or call Russ Jenkins at 218-894-3450.

Railroad Days Dash

The Railroad Days Dash, a 5K run/walk, is back for the second time.

The race will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Staples Alliance Church. Registration will close at 8 a.m. The route will run north and south mostly on 8th and 5th Streets in Staples, with Prairie Avenue, Warner Road and 3rd Avenue being the main east-west connections.

This year the course will be certified to be exactly 3.1 miles.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Kinship of Todd and Wadena Counties.

Anyone interested in being a participant or a volunteer, in putting together a team or being an event sponsor can contact Nick Schultz at schultzn5@ yahoo.com or call 218-894- 1201. See www.railroaddaysdash. com for more information and for registration forms

Chili Cook-off and

Craft Show

The location of the Chili Cook-off has been changed. The teams and all other activities associated with the cook-off will be located at the school athletic area off 3rd St. NE just south of the tennis courts and north of the baseball field.

The two blocks of 3rd St. from Summit Ave. to the school (behind the fire hall and Twin City Optical) will be closed for the event.

Tents will be set up for the teams, who will be able to start cooking at 8 a.m. Saturday. Teams are encouraged to bring in their equipment the night before. Chili will be available to the public from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. This year will also feature a Hot Pepper eating contest

Craft vendors will be set up on the grass on the north and east sides of Twin City Optical’s parking lot from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A beer garden will be available on the west side of the fire hall sponsored by Captain Ron’s Sports Bar and Grill. The Staples Fire Department will grill brats and hot dogs in the same area.

A two-person bean bag team competition will be held across 3rd Street west of the fire hall and children’s games (sponsored by Sacred Heart, Wadena Armory and Early Childhood Education) will also be set up in that area.

For more information or to volunteer call the Staples Motley Area Chamber of Commerce office at 218-894-3974 or email info@ staples-motleyarea.com. Leave a message and someone will get back to you.

Parade

The Railroad Days parade is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. It is expected to start near 3M in the 1000 block of 5th St. NE and proceed south on Fifth Street to 3rd Ave. where it will turn west for one block. The route will then run north on 4th St. NE to Staples Elementary School and back to the 3M area, where it will disperse. The announcer’s stand will be in front of the Staples Community Center on 4th St. NE.

Call the chamber office at 894-3974 for a registration form.

Street dance

Twisted Sisters will have a street dance Saturday night in their parking lot on 3rd St. between Highway 10 and 2nd Ave. NE.

Mini Golf Tourney

The Staples Business Group is sponsoring a mini-golf tournament again this year similar to last year. This will be Thursday and Friday, Aug. 25 and 26, during business hours.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to hold sidewalk sales during that time.

Call Anita Wilson at 218- 894-4383 to participate.

Other activities

A city-wide garage sale is planned for Friday and until noon Saturday. Call the chamber office to be added to the map.

Trinity Lutheran Church is having their pancake breakfast Saturday from 7:30-10 a.m.

Staples Alliance Church is planning their free corn feed for after the parade. Sacred Heart School is having their garage sale starting Thursday at the Sacred Heart school gym.

Additional entries are being sought for the various events, especially parade entries, teams for the bean toss event, chili cook off teams and others. Contact the chamber office to enter

A tentative schedule of events, subject to change, includes the following:

Friday, August 27

All day: City wide garage sale

All day: Mini Golf tourney at participating businesses

All day: Lakewood Foundation Benefit Golf Tournament at The Vintage.

Perennial plant sale from 8 a.m. to noon at Living Legacy Gardens.

Pre Car Show at Ron Biebighauser’s Nyhus Chevrolet, 2 to 5 p.m

Ice cream sundaes at National Joint Powers, 2 to 5 p.m.

Car show kickoff party at Twisted Sisters, 5 to 8 p.m.

Up North Blowout motorcycle ride, R&R Ranch

Water Wars at Community Center parking lot, 6 to 8 p.m.

Stomping Grounds Coffee Shop open mike, 8 to 10 p.m.

Fireworks at dusk at airportF ree movie at the Staples Cinema after fireworks.

Saturday, August 28

Trinity Lutheran Breakfast, 7:30 to 10 a/,/

Kinship 5K Run/walk, 8-10 a.m.

Still Crusin’ Car Club car show 9 to 3 p.m

Craft show, 9 to 3 Twin City Optical grounds.

All school reunion at high school, starting at 9 a.m.

Farmers Market 8 a.m to noon (location to be determined)

CT Pedal Pull, 9 -11, Dower Avenue.

Chili cookoff, 11-3, high school athletic area

Bean Bag Toss team tournament, 10 to noon, west of fire hall

Kids games, baseball field 11-3

Band stand entertainment, 11:30-3, high school athletic area

Beer garden, brats and hot dogs, west side of the fire hall, 11-3

Schwan’s fund raiser, corner of high school tennis courts.

Batcher Block Opera Hall grand opening

Parade on Fifth Street and Fourth Street; 5 p.m

Alliance Church sweet corn feed, 6 p.m. at the church

Street Dance at Twisted Sisters parking lot - 8:30 -

Sunday, August 29

Belgian waffle breakfast, at the Northern Pacific depot, 8-12 a.m.

Historical displays, and book sale at depot

Railroad history performances, noon and 2 p.m., depot

Wayne Renn concert, Lincoln School Park, 3 to 8 p.m.