Crawfordsville a destination town during Fun Days

CRAWFORDSVILLE - Crawfordsville Fun Days is one of the few times a year that all the residents of Crawfordsville have to some summer fun - and reignite old rivalries - together as a community.

From a bags tournament to a slow pitch softball tournament to the Crawfordsville Fire Department's annual water fight, there is not a lack of activities during Crawfordsville Fun Days, which was held Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6.

Randy Robinson, of Crawfordsville, said it's one of the few times to see everyone who lives in town. 'There's not much else to bring people together in Crawfordsville,” he said. 'It's a great excuse to get out. We just don't see our neighbors much anymore.”

Fun Days kicked off on Friday with a bags tournament and a showing of an outdoor movie, Incredibles 2.

Saturday began bright an early, with breakfast hosted by the Crawfordsville Fire Department and a tractor and car show before the parade began at 10 a.m.

Judith Stafford has lived in Crawfordsville for 30 years. Crawfordsville Fun Day is a chance for her to see all of her neighbors and celebrate America during the weekend following the Fourth of July.

'I mostly come for the company,” Stafford said, who enjoyed a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, chocolate milk and coffee hosted by the Crawfordsville Fire Department Saturday morning.

After breakfast, Stafford set up her lawn chair alongside her neighbors and friends to watch the parade, which had almost 60 entries of businesses, individuals and tractors.

Bruce Watson, of Washington, drove a 1206D International with the Wayland Area Antique Tractor Club. Watson farms north of Crawfordsville and said he used to haul grain to the town, buy feed and knew most of the residents.

'They would do anything of you,” Watson said.

Allison Lucas, 15, of Washington, drove a 1957 M International in the Crawfordsville Fun Day parade.

'I just enjoy driving a tractor,” Lucas said, whose grandparents live in Crawfordsville.

Bill and Helen Edwards, of Ainsworth, say that coming to Crawfordsville Fun Day is like coming home.

While the retired couple no longer do business in Crawfordsville and there is no place to shop in the little town, they come back for Fun Day every year because of the people, Helen said after watching the parade.

Following the parade, the Crawfordsville Fire Department set up the street for their annual firefighter water fight. Teams of two from Crawfordsville, Wayland, Winfield, Olds and Mt. Union.

The goal of the water fight - a tug of war with fire hoses - was to use the 100 pounds of water pressure to move a barrel to the opponents side.

Emily Davey, of Crawfordsville, used to come to Crawfordsville Fun Day when she was a child growing up in Crawfordsville. Every year, she would play in the softball tournament, which was cool because the whole town would come out to watch the game, she said.

When Crawfordsville Fun Day was brought back a few years ago, she had to sign up for the softball tournament again, which she said can get competitive. Fun Day also brings back her siblings and their families back to Crawfordsville, a makeshift family reunion during the town event.

Stephanie Heisdorffer, of Washington, tries to make her way back to Crawfordsville for Fun Days every year.

'It's the commraderie, the community is really tight here,” she said.