Karl Oskar Days is here, please come to Lindstrom this week and weekend

Congratulations to our 2012 Karl Oskar Queen Haley Gajeski. Haley was chosen on Friday night to represent Karl Oskar Days for the next year. Along with Haley were her princesses Abbie Nelson and Allison Gadbois and Ali Swenson. Ali Swenson also won Miss Congeniality. A little side note about Ali. Did you know that Ali is the third Swenson to win Miss Congeniality? That’s right, Ali, her sister Hannah and her other sister Haley have all taken home the title Miss Congeniality.  It is the first time in 15 years that a girl has been named Princess and Miss Congeniality, congratulations Ali, Haley, Abbie and Allison. Remember the 2012 Snuff Box hunt began on July 4. Make sure to get your pad and pencil. finding it on the first day is not unheard of, but has been done. There shouldn’t be that many people searching the first day.

The clues are posted here at the Press, Wally Carlsons BP, Lindstrom Foods and the Lindstrom Antique Mall and will be available at noon each day. I hate repeating things in a column other than the necessities like please donate to the food shelf or shop local, but this week is one that bears repeating. So here are the details for the upcoming Karl Oskar Days festivities. Please bring the family up for some or all of the events. I realize it is on kind of a tough weekend with the 4th of July and all, but I also know there are a lot of people like us that would rather stay close to home during the 4th. Thursday is Ladies Nite Out. You will be treated to great deals from local businesses as well as restaurants. On top of great shopping and fun times, you will get to create your very own straw hat. Ladies Nite Out begins at 4 p.m. and runs until 9. Friday, Karl Oskar Days goes into full motion with a community arts and crafts fair at Memorial Park. Food vendors will also be on hand if you get thirsty or hungry. At 6 p.m. is the ever-popular Queen’s Tug-O-War challenge. The newly crowned queen and her court will take their teams to the mud pit across from Lions Park and try to get the opposition into the mud pit. As soon as the tug-o-war is complete, you are invited to turn around and take in the 2012 Karl Oskar Days kiddie parade. Kids of all ages will meander down Akerson Street and then onto Sylvan Avenue, all dressed in their favorite costumes.  When the kiddie parade has finished, you are invited into the Lindstrom Community Center for a evening of Bingo.

This year the Battle of the Bands has moved. In years past, the battle has been held at Lions Park.  This year they have moved it to Beach Park. You are invited to come hear some extraordinary local talent perform down by the lake. The Battle of the Bands should have a nice crowd on hand, because Beach Park is the site for this year’s Fireworks Over the Lake. The fireworks will be set off just out from Beach Park and the show is always well attended.   On Saturday, there is the annual Karl Oskar Days golf tournament at the Chisago Lakes Golf Course. At 8 a.m. is one of the largest 5K races in the north metro. The Lindstrom Loppet usually has close to 1,500 runners/walkers. You can register the day of the race at the Lakes Free Church on Olinda Trail. Back up town, there is a Farmers Market taking place in St. Bridgets parking lot. Also at St. Brigets, there is a classic car show, where you will find amazing old cars restored to pristine shape. Trinity Lutheran Church will host this year’s 3 on 3 basketball tournament. The basketball begins at 10 a.m. in the parking lot.

The Karl Oskar Grand Day parade will be Saturday evening at 6 p.m. so get there early to reserve your spot. This year’s street dance will be held in the Muni and the Liquor Store’s parking lot. The featured band will be Slamabama with the warm up band being the winner of the Battle of the Bands. On Sunday, you are invited to a pancake breakfast at the Masons Lodge on Highway 8. The cakes start flipping at 7 a.m. and run until noon. There is a new Lumberjack log rolling show this year that will take place at 1 p.m. back down at Beach Park. And finally there is an open trap shooting contest at the Sportsmens Club that begins at 2 p.m. Three businesses south of Highway 8 have been gracious enough to open their parking lots for Karl Oskar Days. Gustaf’s Galleries, Deutschland Meats and Lindstrom Hardware. Thank you to those businesses.