Lafayette’s 125th celebration kicks off tonight

by Ruth Klossner
After two years of planning, the big celebration of Lafayette’s 125th Anniversary gets underway tonight and continues through Sunday afternoon.
There will be no shortage of fun for all ages and all interests as the weekend unfolds.
Things get underway this evening with the bi-weekly Car/Bike Night at Dave’s Place—but that’s not all.
The first clue in the medallion hunt will be released at 6 p.m. at the bandstand in Memorial Park downtown. The hunt will be well worth the effort as there’s a $125 prize for the winner. Additional clues will be released at 9 a.m. each day, both on Facebook and at the city clerk’s office.
Right after the clue is announced tonight, the Armstrong Boulevard Brass Quintet will entertain the crowd from the bandstand. The quintet’s appearance is made possible through the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council.
For those interested in sports, there will be a rookie baseball game at Lund Park and the Park & Rec pop shack crew will be grilling supper.
Thursday evening’s activities will include a T-Ball game, a softball game, food at the ball park pop shack and the big attraction—Human Foosball up town in front of Dave’s Place. Last minute entries for foosball can still be made by contacting Dave Trebelhorn at 507-276-6055.
Friday evening will be busy, busy, busy with the American Legion putting on a pork chop meal at the community center, the firefighters holding beer and wine tasting at the fire hall, the Lafayette Band playing at the bandstand and a men’s fastpitch game at the ball park. That will all be topped off by the Concord Singers and Narren at Memorial Park.
Come back Saturday for a full day! There will be a silent auction at the fire hall, history displays at the city building, a craft and vendor fair at the community center, a quilt show at First Lutheran Church, family activities and bounce houses in Lund Park, the annual antique tractor pull, entertainment all afternoon in Memorial Park, the crowning of Lafayette’s first Little Miss, fire department keg fights, an amazing race, Backstreet Market and Legacy BBQ food trucks in Lund Park, a kiddie parade and kids’ dance party on Main Street and a street dance. The evening will end with a bang as Lafayette’s first fireworks in decades (maybe ever) will take place on the baseball field.
Anyone wanting to sign up for the amazing race can still do so, by contacting Sheri Portner at 507-276-1748.
Sunday’s events will start with a community prayer service in Memorial Park. A Dad’s Belgian Waffle Breakfast will follow at the fire hall and the kids’ pedal pull will be held on Main Street. Then it will be time for the grand parade, ending with a cannon shoot by the New Ulm Battery. The Misfits band will play after the parade as the weekend winds down.
Betty Maidl, Lafayette’s oldest living resident, will be grand marshal of the parade. Betty, now 95, will ride on a float with her Minnesota great-grandkids (she also has some in Alaska). Maidl has lived in the same house—next to the former Catholic Church where she was secretary for 42 years—since 1955.
A quilt and cash raffle is being held as part of the anniversary celebration, with tickets available at the city clerk’s office and at Citizens Bank. Tickets will also be available at First Lutheran Church during the quilt show. The raffle drawing will be held at 4:00 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Park. The silent auction will close at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Lafayette’s Saturday Morning Sewing Group was called on to create a special quilt for the raffle. The sewing group members asked for—and got—help from community members to create pieces for the quilt that was then long-armed by Tom Maidl.
The sewing group researched different quilt blocks to make a quilt that embraces the agricultural-farming community and chose the Churn Dash, inspired by a butter churn. The name was adopted because the block resembles a butter churn with the middle square representing the “dash”—the stick that churns the butter.
Lafayette’s new history book, The History of Lafayette, the Next 25 Years, is back from the printer. The 294-page softcover book has 701 photos. Copies are at the city clerk’s office and Citizens Bank—and will available all weekend. The original 2000 History of Lafayette book is also being reprinted. For those who would like a copy, orders will be taken at the city clerk’s office and the books printed and distributed afterwards.
Lafayette natives Becky (Lund) Briggs, Caren (Youngblom) Grotberg, and Bob Youngblom have set up history displays in the conference room at the city building and at the Community Center. The displays include their own historical items, along with items that have been brought in by community residents.
Orders for T-shirts were taken ahead of time but a few extra shirts have been ordered and will be available at the city clerk’s office, first come, first served.
Souvenir magnets with a photo of the flagpole at Memorial Park will also be available.
Come on over to Lafayette this weekend—you’re sure to find something to enjoy! Tents will be set up on Main Avenue and in Memorial Park for shade.