---

Don't look now, but the summer celebrations are here. North Branch kicks off the summer celebration season with its 83rd annual Midsummer Days. And Midsummer Days are celebrating with a partner. The American Legion turns 89 this year, they and the good folks that organize North Branch's Midsummer Days invite you to come out and celebrate with them.

As always, there is the most important part of Midsummer Days (just ask the kids), the midway. You can find the midway in Central Park which will have plenty of rides, games and food for everyone.

Starting Friday, make sure to take in the carnival also known as the midway. The gates open at 4 p.m. A little bit later, venture over to the American Legion tent and cheer for your favorite queen candidate to win the 2008 Miss Midsummer Queen title which starts at 6:30 p.m.

After the queen has been crowned, stick around for Karaoke which will be held in the same tent.

Saturday has something for almost everyone. Beginning with a golf tournament at 8 a.m., followed by the Kiddie Midsummer Olympics. The Olympics committee ask that you register your children at 8:30 a.m. because the games begin at 9 a.m. sharp. Keeping with a kid theme, the annual Kiddie Parade follows the Olympics at 11 a.m. Dress your children up in their favorite costume and let them be a star as they parade through town.

Taking in all of this fun surely will make your stomach growl so this year lunch is on them. At 11 a.m., you can enjoy free hot dogs, beans, chips and soda. Get there early, when the foods gone it's over.

Saturday is the day to take in the annual water fight. Always a fan favorite, the water fight takes place on Elm Street and starts at 3 p.m. The water fight is a test of wills between local fire departments to show whose skills are superior.

Saturday night is capped off with a street dance which is also held in the American Legion parking lot. The featured band will be The Beer Daddys. The dance starts at 8:30 p.m. and runs until midnight.

On Sunday, you can enjoy the carnival if you have not had a chance to prior. There is also a pancake feed at the Masonic Hall that will feature pancakes, eggs and ham.

Grab the kids and some bags and head out to watch the first parade of the summer. The Midsummer Parade begins at 2 p.m. The parade runs right down Main Street so there will be plenty of shade if it is hot that day.

After writing about the high gas prices last week and joking tongue in cheek about purchasing stock in a scooter company, my joke has turned into reality (sort of). I have decided to take the plunge and purchase a scooter. I realize I will not be taking the families on any drives up the north shore on the thing, but for tooling around town how can I argue with 80 miles to the gallon?

Here is my question to you. I see plenty of scooters around the area and I have noticed there are quite a few companies that produce them. If you have or know someone who has purchased a scooter in the last two years, I would like to hear about it. How much it cost? What size is the motor? What kind of gas mileage does it get? Where did you get the scooter? Finding a business that sells scooters is harder than one might think. E-mail me at [email protected] and let me know about your scooter. Who knows maybe we will form the Chisago County Scooter Gang.

We here at the Press are looking for some unique local stories. In this day and age of foreclosures and lawsuits, we think that some local, special interest stories might be just what the County Press needs. Maybe you know someone who has a unique talent, maybe you know the history of a building that other people do not, it doesn't matter, if you think that people would love to hear about it, then so would we. I invite you to give us a call and let us know what makes your story special.

---