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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Blairstown gears up for weekend festival
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
BLAIRSTOWN — The annual celebration of sauerkraut in Blairstown kicks off Friday, Aug. 29 with the Kenneth Long Garden and Tractor Pull at 5 p.m.
Saturday’s events begin at 8 a.m. with a car show. The annual Sauerkraut Days parade beings at 10 a.m. at 604 Prospect Street NE and will wind its way through the streets of Blairstown.
Following the parade, a tractor Shine and Show will being at the east end of Benton Street. Free sauerkraut and wieners will be served at 11 a.m. until they’re gone.
Food trucks and a food tent will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and concessions will be available at the slo-pitch softball tournament which begins at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and finishes up Sunday.
A rolle bolle tournament begins at noon Saturday and continues at 1 p.m. Sunday.
A stage show will entertain visitors in the city park at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and bicycles and tricycles will race at the fire station beginning at 1 p.m.
From 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sam Roberts will play live music in the beer tent.
A dummy board tournament begins in the beer tent at 3 p.m., and cow chip Bingo begins in the city park at 4 p.m.
The demolition derby begins at 6 p.m. a half mile north of Blairstown.
A kids dance will take play from 6-9 p.m. in the city park, and a street dance begins at 9 p.m. in the beer tent with music from Lonesome Road until 1 a.m.
The slo-pitch tournament continues at 9 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, and the Blairstown Fire Department will host a waterball tournament at the fire station at 11 a.m.
Blairstown Sauerkraut Days has been held consecutively for the past 52 years, according to organizers.
All of the money raised from this event is given back to the community through donations to youth, elderly, veteran and school organizations and programs.
Everyone involved in planning, setting up, working the event and cleaning up afterward is a volunteer.
Among the groups that have benefited from the celebration over the last half century are the Salvation Army, Florence Go-Getters 4-H Club, Blairstown Community Foundation (scholarship program), Eastern Iowa Honor Flight, Blairstown Rec Board, Blairstown Lions Club, Blairstown Fire Department, Blairstown Ambulance Service, Norway Fire Department and Belle Plaine Ambulance.
