Posen Potato Festival starts three-day run
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
The biggest little celebration in northern Michigan will get underway this weekend when Posen hosts its 58th annual Posen Potato Festival. Upwards of 20,000 to 30,000 people will jam into a town of nearly 300 for three days of eating, polka dancing, listening to country and western music, and just plain partying among many other events. The festivities kick off Friday night with a polka dance, the opening of Schmidt Amusement rides and midway, and a football game. Stephanie, America?s Polka Sweetheart of DePew, New York and Old School Polka Band of Burton, Ohio will be sharing the stage from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the polka pavilion. Schmidt Amusements will have the rides open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with a special price for family armbands.
Over at the high school, the football team plays its first ever eight-man game in the Potato Capital. The Vikings will be taking on Brimley at 7 p.m.. AMONG THE highlights Saturday will be a flea market, starting at 9 a.m.; the potato dish and display judging contest at 10 a.m.; a kiddie parade at noon; polka dancing with free admission from noon to 6 p.m.; dinners by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and by the Presque Isle County Council on Aging; moto-cross racing at 11:15 a.m.; polka dancing fro
Sunday?s activities start with breakfast at the VFW; Polish folk Mass at 9:30 a.m. at St. Casimir Catholic Church; the potato pancake smorgasbord from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; free admission polka dance from noon to 9 p.m.; the grand parade at 1:30 p.m.; bump and run starting at 3 p.m. and a tribute to armed service personnel at 4:30 p.m. in the green pavilion.
Arts and crafts will be set up Saturday and Sunday at the village/fire hall. Julia Lewandowski will reign over the grand parade as Posen?s Potato Festival queen, while John and Mary Kroll will be parade grand marshals