Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Ridiculous Days draws crowds happy to celebrate normalcy
Three days of festivities in Washington served as a mile marker for a community returning to normal. Although the event was held in 2020, it was marked by omnipresent masks and, for many, hesitation to attend at the peak of a pandemic.
This year, the crowds returned in full force.
“With health and everything getting better, we’re just excited to be back out here,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michelle Redlinger said.
Despite the waning pandemic, Redlinger said this year’s Ridiculous Days still had to take some precautions.
“The way that we structured our events this year had to be modified,” she said. “All of the events that really brought in the large crowds have been pushed off until the fall, and so we did the stuff that was a little bit more spread out just to keep safety in line.”
Vendors at the event said the post-2020 structure was a boon.
“We had it last year and still had a pretty good turnout, but now everyone feels a bit safer to get out,” said Char Andersen, who owns one of the shops in Village Gifts. “There’s three days of it, so it’s actually three times better, because we only had one day before.”
Loree Stogdill, who runs another shop in Village Gifts, said she was grateful for the community’s support.
“We really have appreciated our customers that supported us last year when things were crazy and early this year,” said Loree Stogdill, who runs one of the shops in Village Gifts. “We’re really appreciative of our customers supporting our small-town business.”
Stogdill and Andersen estimated that the boutique made three times its typical sales on Saturday.
As the festivities came to a close, the Ridiculous and Antique Tractor Parades converged downtown, fistfuls of candy in hand. The antique tractor portion of the parade was sponsored by the Washington and Keokuk County Corn and Soy Growers.
“We love to see people bring their tractors out,” Kerri Bell, secretary of the two-county organization, said. “It’s nice for those who work in farming to relive some of those memories.”
Mike Finarty, another member of Washington and Keokuk County Corn and Soy Growers, said he was proud of the community’s farm equipment selection.
“It’s showing off part of the heritage of farming,” Finarty said. “A lot of them, they build tractors and fix them up just to ride them in parades. We’ve got a huge number of them in this area.”
Volunteer Firefighter Kelly Williams shows a family the ins and outs of a fire engine during the Washington Summer Classic Touch-A-Truck (Kalen McCain/The Union)
Nathan Schrock pedals forward in the kiddie tractor pull contest. (Kalen McCain/The Union)
Master of ceremonies and Mayor Jaron Rosien (left) speaks to Ridiculous Superhero contestant Miles Stout. (Kalen McCain/The Union)
LilyAnne Ward wore a dress with several balloons attached in the Ridiculous Princess contest.
The Antique Tractor Parade rolls through Washington Central Park, partway through the Ridiculous Day Parade. (Kalen McCain/The Union)
Zach Carstensen (left) and Olver Carstensen (right) take in the view from atop a John Deere R4038 sprayer at the Washington Summer Classic Ag Display. (Kalen McCain/The Union)
Mayor Jaron Rosien (left) emcees the Ridiculous Princess contest. (Kalen McCain/The Union)
