Dixie Day festival is Saturday in North Webster
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
On Saturday, the North Webster Dixie Day returns for it’s eighth year with more vendors and more reasons to check out the fun, says Sue Ward, a longtime downtown merchant who serves as the North Webster Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce president and co-chairs the festival organization with Martha Stoelting.
“We’re adding more vendors every year,” Ward said recently while wrapping up another day of work at Sue’s Creations, a store she operates with her husband, Steve.
“It’s a great one-day event the chamber puts on to promote our town as well as the Dixie Sternwheeler.”
Dixie Day gets an early start on Saturday, beginning with a 5K run and continuing until the final lake tour serenaded by Bob the singing skipper.
The Dixie Day 5K Run is in its eighth year and is organized by the Kosciusko Runners Association. The race starts at the community center and meanders through some of the more scenic parts of North Webster before concluding at the town park.
Last year, 102 runners participated.
Pre-registration levels are down for this year’s event and organizer Brenda Peterson said she’s hoping many more will register Saturday before the event.
The annual car, truck and motorcycle show at the Lions Festival Fairgrounds begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m., and has been expanded to include prize money for the best motorcycle. There will be a $500 overall best of show award, plaques for each of the classes and a new $200 prize for the best motorcycle, said Chris Lusso, who is overseeing the event.
A disc jockey will provide music and a handful of drawing are planned.
Also new this year at the car show is a silent auction in which two people will receive tickets to a Discovery Flight plane ride provided by the Warsaw Flying Club. Proceeds from the auction will go to the chamber to help offset costs of the festival, Lusso said.
Ward said she hopes the Discovery Flights auction will increase interest in the car show and boost attendance at the fairgrounds west of the downtown and the Dixie.
“We’re trying to bring people down to that area to make it as big an event as we have in town,” she said.
Most aspects of the fair begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.
The juried art fair will be on the lawn in front of Pilcher’s Shoes and along Washington Street, which will be closed to traffic.
There is an open air market, about 30 craft vendors and a dozen or so food vendors along Washington Street leading to the fairgrounds.
New on food row is Amish fried pies and a vendor specializing in nuts, Ward said.
Games for children as well as t-shirt sales will be available near the Dixie boat launch.
The antique show in a tent outside of the Antique Mall is one of the bigger efforts by merchants.
“Every year, they keep telling us it’s better than the year before,” Ward said.
Of course, the star of the festival is the Dixie Sternwheeler, believed to be the longest running sternwheeler in the state and a facet of life in North Webster since 1929.
The boat will have five tours on Saturday that conclude with a sunset tour at 9 p.m. with Captain Bob, the singing skipper. The drive cruises around the lake and includes historical narration.
The tour lasts about 45 minutes and admission is $7, Ward said.
She speculates that the festival attracts 3,000 to 4,000 people
Karilyn Metcalf, president of Dixie Sternwheeler Inc., the non-profit group that owns the boat, said she believes the festival has emerged over the years and is now on equal footing with the town’s Mermaid Festival.
The festival offers something different, she said.
“It’s a different atmosphere. This has the artisans and the farmer’s market and the car show where the Mermaid is more of a carnival atmosphere with the parades and rides,” Metcalf said. “It’s a totally different experience so you get different groups of people than you get for the other.”
Years ago, Dixie organizers tried having some events on Friday, but Metcalf said that’s normally a travel day for lake residents.
Ten years ago, the boat was in disrepair and had a history of breaking down on the lake in mid-tour.
But supporters behind the Dixie formed Dixie Sternwheeler Inc., and began making repairs. Within two years, it was ready to go and the idea of a festival soon came together.
While repairs are ongoing, the boat is in much better condition and stays busy.
The boat continues to attract strong crowds through the summer season and is booked solid in September with special group events, Ward said.
Steve Ward, Sue’s husband, drove the the boat for several years and said he enjoyed the hands-on involvement.
It’s quite the experience to drive the Dixie,” he said.
“For a lot of those kids, some of their finest summer memories was driving the Dixie and serving popcorn with all the people,” Steve Ward said. “We’ve done a lot of weddings on it. We did a balloon release off the back one time and it was beautiful.”
Metcalf said she doesn’t envision any future changes in the one-day festival.
“We’re kind of sticking with our plan because it seems to be working,” Meltcalf said.[[In-content Ad]]
On Saturday, the North Webster Dixie Day returns for it’s eighth year with more vendors and more reasons to check out the fun, says Sue Ward, a longtime downtown merchant who serves as the North Webster Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce president and co-chairs the festival organization with Martha Stoelting.
“We’re adding more vendors every year,” Ward said recently while wrapping up another day of work at Sue’s Creations, a store she operates with her husband, Steve.
“It’s a great one-day event the chamber puts on to promote our town as well as the Dixie Sternwheeler.”
Dixie Day gets an early start on Saturday, beginning with a 5K run and continuing until the final lake tour serenaded by Bob the singing skipper.
The Dixie Day 5K Run is in its eighth year and is organized by the Kosciusko Runners Association. The race starts at the community center and meanders through some of the more scenic parts of North Webster before concluding at the town park.
Last year, 102 runners participated.
Pre-registration levels are down for this year’s event and organizer Brenda Peterson said she’s hoping many more will register Saturday before the event.
The annual car, truck and motorcycle show at the Lions Festival Fairgrounds begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m., and has been expanded to include prize money for the best motorcycle. There will be a $500 overall best of show award, plaques for each of the classes and a new $200 prize for the best motorcycle, said Chris Lusso, who is overseeing the event.
A disc jockey will provide music and a handful of drawing are planned.
Also new this year at the car show is a silent auction in which two people will receive tickets to a Discovery Flight plane ride provided by the Warsaw Flying Club. Proceeds from the auction will go to the chamber to help offset costs of the festival, Lusso said.
Ward said she hopes the Discovery Flights auction will increase interest in the car show and boost attendance at the fairgrounds west of the downtown and the Dixie.
“We’re trying to bring people down to that area to make it as big an event as we have in town,” she said.
Most aspects of the fair begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m.
The juried art fair will be on the lawn in front of Pilcher’s Shoes and along Washington Street, which will be closed to traffic.
There is an open air market, about 30 craft vendors and a dozen or so food vendors along Washington Street leading to the fairgrounds.
New on food row is Amish fried pies and a vendor specializing in nuts, Ward said.
Games for children as well as t-shirt sales will be available near the Dixie boat launch.
The antique show in a tent outside of the Antique Mall is one of the bigger efforts by merchants.
“Every year, they keep telling us it’s better than the year before,” Ward said.
Of course, the star of the festival is the Dixie Sternwheeler, believed to be the longest running sternwheeler in the state and a facet of life in North Webster since 1929.
The boat will have five tours on Saturday that conclude with a sunset tour at 9 p.m. with Captain Bob, the singing skipper. The drive cruises around the lake and includes historical narration.
The tour lasts about 45 minutes and admission is $7, Ward said.
She speculates that the festival attracts 3,000 to 4,000 people
Karilyn Metcalf, president of Dixie Sternwheeler Inc., the non-profit group that owns the boat, said she believes the festival has emerged over the years and is now on equal footing with the town’s Mermaid Festival.
The festival offers something different, she said.
“It’s a different atmosphere. This has the artisans and the farmer’s market and the car show where the Mermaid is more of a carnival atmosphere with the parades and rides,” Metcalf said. “It’s a totally different experience so you get different groups of people than you get for the other.”
Years ago, Dixie organizers tried having some events on Friday, but Metcalf said that’s normally a travel day for lake residents.
Ten years ago, the boat was in disrepair and had a history of breaking down on the lake in mid-tour.
But supporters behind the Dixie formed Dixie Sternwheeler Inc., and began making repairs. Within two years, it was ready to go and the idea of a festival soon came together.
While repairs are ongoing, the boat is in much better condition and stays busy.
The boat continues to attract strong crowds through the summer season and is booked solid in September with special group events, Ward said.
Steve Ward, Sue’s husband, drove the the boat for several years and said he enjoyed the hands-on involvement.
It’s quite the experience to drive the Dixie,” he said.
“For a lot of those kids, some of their finest summer memories was driving the Dixie and serving popcorn with all the people,” Steve Ward said. “We’ve done a lot of weddings on it. We did a balloon release off the back one time and it was beautiful.”
Metcalf said she doesn’t envision any future changes in the one-day festival.
“We’re kind of sticking with our plan because it seems to be working,” Meltcalf said.[[In-content Ad]]
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