Britton’s 24th Annual Harvest Days was a success again this year. A rainy day Saturday didn’t even put too much of a damper on the fun.
Emily Van Lith, the Britton Area Chamber Vice President, said they were pleased with how the weekend went off. “This year Harvest Days was challenged by Mother Nature but Britton was up for the fight to have a good time,” said Van Lith. “More than anything we wanted to make sure we could have as many events continue as possible especially the parade as it was held in memory of our dear friend Joe Lang.”
The weekend started off with the parade on Friday evening. The theme was Backyard BBQ in Memory of Joe Lang, and folks decked out vehicles, floats, and even horses to make for a festive affair. Hundreds of people also enjoyed a meal sponsored by the Buckhorn Rodeo with proceeds going to the Marshall County Food Pantry.
The medallion hunt was a fun new event on Friday where teams tried to decipher clues to find a prize hidden somewhere in town. The team of Sterling Brassfield, Makenna Heer, Taryn Kraft, Kennady Van Lith, and Paityn Erickson found the medallion hidden at the City Park after only four clues.
The cornhole tournament attracted a whopping 52 teams. There were two divisions: competitive and social. The team Levi Christianson and Todd Shirley of Aberdeen took the competitive division while social winners were Doug Henley and Gary Siers of Britton.
On Saturday morning, the Lions Pancake Feed served around 300 people and raised $2,288 for Lions projects. Over 50 people braved the wet conditions for the Harvest Days Road Race. The top three placers for the 5K were Josh Scholten (19:10), Daniel Person (19:21) and Griffin Hofer (23:23). In the 10k, the top three were Travis Palm (45:50), Jared Benson (46:11) and Nick Barth (49:09).
Nine teams competed through sun and rain during the sand volleyball tournament. The winners at the end of the day were the team made up of Timothy Bender, Michael Cortez, Emma Bennett and Emily Bremmon. Thirteen teams competed in the Harvest Days Jigsaw Puzzle Competition. The proceeds went to the Lake City church hall. The winning team was Peace by Piece with team members Savannah Person, Kalissa Stelzer, Shelby Thompson and Megan Biel, with a winning time of 45:33.
The8thAnnualRibCookoff was again a big hit. The event functions as a fundraiser for Marshall County 4H Archery, and though the sale of the ribs had to be moved indoors, it was still a hit. Thousands of ribs were enjoyed by the masses and the event raised about $2,500. The team Stormandy Beach out of Claremont made up of Jake and Jeff Stohr took first place. In their first year competing, the Britton team Beautiful Bohemian Barbecue comprised of Tom Shileny and Jenna Nordquist took second. Trevor Van Tilberg of TVT Barbecue took third. Sweet Caroline’s BBQ who has been competing at Harvest Days for five years took second place as well as the People’s Choice Award. The team is a big family affair, led by Matthew Christopherson, Michael Christopherson, Nicole Biever, and Tyler Melroe.
Though they were moved to the Event Center, the local band Danger Zone entertained the crowds. The band is made up of Jake and Luke Zuehlke with cousins Jessica and Travis Moore. Guest singer Haley Hoffman also joined them for several songs. And the fan favorite Johnny Holm Band Saturday night attracted over 600 people.
Other weekend activities included the return of the dunk tank, kiddie train, inflatables, the vendor and craft fair, free swimming and the coin dive.
“We had countless volunteers pitch in to make Harvest Days even better than we could have imagined,” noted Van Lith. “We could not put on a community celebration such as this without their help. The organizations, groups, clubs, vendors and people were all flexible and ready to shift with the weather. It was amazing! We also appreciate the sponsors that showed up in a larger than ever amount this year. Our local businesses are eager to support our community.”
“Harvest Days has become a traditional event that everyone looks forward to each summer,” added Van Lith. “We hope the event continues to grow and prosper in the years to come. Save the date for Harvest Days 2024: August 24. It will be a big anniversary as we celebrate 25 years!”
A School Supply Drive sponsored by Tammy Bender’s Edward Jones Investments of Britton generated many items that will be distributed by the Marshall County Food Pantry. Pictured, left to right, Britton-Hecla Elementary Principal Kyla Richter, Marie Marlow with the food pantry, and Julie Lenius, Edward Jones rep. Bender has been doing the supply in town for four years now.
