Salem hosts 138th year of Old Settlers celebration

Salem held its 138th Old Settlers celebration over the weekend, with community members converging on the town for a variety of festivities, including a pancake breakfast, a parade and a carnival in the town square, among many others.

Parade Master of Ceremonies John Kuhens said the event drew community members from all over the area, despite Salem’s small size.

“It’s a time for reunion,” he said. “You see people that grew up here that come back every year to enjoy the celebration … there’s a lot going on for such a little town.”

Old Settlers Treasurer Sabrina Mathews said they held the event at a different date from years before.

“We decided to do the first week before Old Threshers so we wouldn’t conflict with them,” she said. “It’s hard to get help, and we want the good crowd.”

Mathews said the group settled on an owl theme for the 2020 festival, hoping that the zeros in the year would lend themselves to artwork of the iconic birds’ large eyes.

When the 2020 celebration was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, they carried the theme over, with some modifications.

“Since we didn’t have it last year, we decided we’d just roll the theme over, but instead we’re like, ‘Who let the owls out?’” Mathews said. “We figured everybody’s ready to get out because they’ve been cooped up with COVID.”

While the celebration only lasts the length of the weekend, Mathews said planning it was a year-round commitment for the 10 Old Settlers board members.

“We start with a meeting in October to talk about what we did this year,” she said. “We talk about what to do next year, then January we get back together and we get our entertainment, we do all of that, and we go from there.”

The Old Settlers Parade on Saturday morning featured an array of community members, some participating on behalf of companies and organizations, others solely for the thrill of being in the parade.

Rosie Krogmeier was one such participant, riding along with a convoy of tractors near the back of the parade.

“We have good friends that have a tractor, and he made the wagon with umbrellas and benches so we could sit on it and throw out candy,” she said. “There’s nothing like being in a parade and watching all the little kids grab the candy.”