Terrific Posen festival staged in great weather
If there was a common reaction this weekend from the hundreds of locals and thousands of visitors in Posen for the 52nd annual Potato Festival, it was the smiles on their faces. Whether it was a six-year-old girl from Alpena running with her plastic bag for parade candy or the polka fans from Cross Village tapping their toes to the music of Pan Franek and Zosia, it seemed as if everyone in Posen enjoyed themselves during the three day festival.
?We didn?t have any record-setting year, or anything like that, but everything went on without a hitch,? said Posen Chamber of Commerce president Randy Idalski. ?There were no problems that I know of. The crowds were good.? Other than a vehicle fire at the VFW Sunday, it was an extremely quiet weekend for sheriff?s deputies and state police troopers patrolling the area.
THE PARADE was led by grand marshals Burke and Laurie Wozniak and featured queen Michelle Bednarski and her court. According to parade chairperson Andrea Konwinski, the parade lasted about an hour-and-a-half. ?The weather held out for us,? said Konwinski, chairing her first grand festival parade.
The conditions were nearly ideal weather-wise for parade goers and participants, which improved attendance figures from a year ago, when there were hotter than expected conditions. Between 35,000 to 40,000 people lined the parade route this year, from the Posen ballfield to Oak Street at the northern edge of the village limits.
?I was on the grandstand looking both ways and all you could see was people, for as far as you could see,? said Idalski. ?It was a very good crowd for the parade.? When the parade was over people spilled over onto the grounds of the demolition derby, which was won by Kevin Hibner, for the free polka music at the polka pavilion, and to enjoy themselves on the carnival rides.
SCHMIDT AM– USEMENTS reported an increase in profits of more than $3,000 over last year, ?so they were very happy,? said Idalski. ?The biggest thing with the carnival is the weather,? Idalski said. ?The weather was just fantastic. I was talking with Terry Schmidt Saturday night and he said he was very happy with the numbers. And then yesterday (Sunday) it was perfect.? Financial figures from the two music pavilions, the bump and run Saturday and the demolition derby Sunday, were not immediately available. The arts and crafts show attendance showed an improvement from Saturday a year ago, but the vendors were only open one day this year, as opposed to two days in 2002.
According to Laurie Wozniak, it didn?t seem to cause any problems. ?I think when everyone knew we were going to have it for one day, they must have all come out (Saturday), because we really had a good turnout,? she said.
THE REASON the arts and crafts were trimmed to one day is because there aren?t enough people to help with the event at the Posen High School. ?All of the organizations are so busy, and the kids have their own things that they?re in,? said Wozniak, ?it?s hard to get help. So we decided to go to one day. It?s didn?t hurt us at all.?
Wozniak said there were some complaints last year from attendees who didn?t like paying the $1 admission fee, but she didn?t hear anything this year, and it seemed as if people were comin
likely will be open one day in 2004, Wozniak said. The list of parade winners included: Most Beautiful, Miss Charlevoix for the second year in a row; honorable mention, Miss Rogers City. Best Musical float, Val-U-Mart?s tribute to Ruby Klimaszewski; honorable mention, Miss Sunrise Side. Most Humorous, Calcite Credit Union; honorable mention F & A Farming and Excavating. Most Original, Huron Oil; honorable mention, Royal Rangers from Beaver Lake Community Church. Most Patriotic, C.I.A. of Hawks; honorable mention, Rogers City Servicemen?s Club.
Judges? Choice, Knights of Columbus; honorable mention Village of Posen. Best Entry by a Service Organization, Our Hospice Family; honorable mention U.A.W. United We Stand (special theme) V.F.W. of Posen; honorable mention, Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op. Most Appropriate Theme, kiddie parade winners.