Community Events Christmas Parade of Lights light parade that same year, with twelve entries. In subsequent years, the number of entries for our parade has maintained an average of To kick offthe Christmas holiday season in Greenbush, the Town thirty. & Country Club held their first Annual Parade of Lights in 1999. The 2004 Parade ofLights will be the "kick off" to the Greenbush In preparation for this parade, people from area businesses, organi­ Centennial. The Town & Country Club hopes that this event will zations, and families decorated flatbed trailers, tractors, snowmo­ continue to grow and prosper in the years to come. biles, and horse-drawn wagons; similar to floats in the Fourth of Submitted by Pat Haarstick. July parades, except for lights powered by generators or battery packs that become part of the design. Otter Tail Power Company Christmas Spirit of Decorating shuts off the lights on Main Street to enhance the effect. Prizes are awarded to the top three entries, along with a Mayor's Choice Trav­ Greenbush residents and visitors could see the community Christ­ eling Trophy. mas Spirit when our decorated village tree stood in the middle of the street, and lights crisscrossed the town. They could drive around and see many decorated homes. Officials had a hard time deter­ mining the lighting contest prizewinners. In 1965, the village tree in the center of town was decorated in red lights. The water tower was also decorated. In 1967, busi­ nesses began decorating, giving Greenbush even more ofa Christ­ mas feeling. The water tower, which could be seen for a distance, was again decorated. In 1968, the village tree was erected on the old post office lot and was decorated beautifully. Again, the businesses and homes were lovely. Now the village tree is placed next to the shelter building. The businesses and residents still express their Christmas Spirit by deco­ rating, and judges still find it difficult to choose winners of the lighting contest. Originally a project of the Association of Commerce, then spon­ Town & Country Parade of Lights entry. (photo courtesy o/Town & Country) sored by Town and Country, the lighting contest is now done by the In 1999,2000, and 2001, the parade was held in conjunction with Women ofToday. Santa Claus Day, on the first Saturday of December, following the Submitted Mary Ann Johnson. annual Tree-lighting Ceremony. Beginning in 2002, the Tree-light­ ing Ceremony and the Parade of Lights were moved to the Satur­ Circuses and Carnivals That Visited Greenbush day following Thanksgiving. In 'the inaugural year of 1999, the response was enthusiastic, with In 1920, the Rice Brothers World Toured Shows and trained ani­ thirty-eight participants and hundreds of spectators lining the pa­ mal exhibits came to Greenbush. They were under mammoth tents rade route. The entries were quite impressive for a town of our in the afternoon and evening in August. They had the smallest size; for example, Grand Forks, North Dakota, also held their first monkey to the biggest elephant, acrobatic exploits, graceful gym­ nasts, aerial artists, wire walkers, funny clowns, and trapeze per­ formers. Admission was free. The Big Tent Show, with a refined vaudeville and musical pro­ gram, was here in 1921. The Orton B. Circus Shows came to Greenbush in July of 1926 with horses doing leaping, high jumping and trick rides, troupe of trained dogs, and wild animals. A band opened the program before each performance. July 4,1929, found The Big Ole Vaudeville Show performing. In August of 1931, The Seils-Sterling Four Ring Wild Animal Circus and Garry Owens Big Wild West Show with the Glittering Oriental Pag'ent, and The Princess of Siam were in Greenbush. A carnival came to the Greenbush School in October of 1937 to help defray expenses connected with extra-curricular activities. In 1945, '49, '51, '52, and '53, the Art B. Thomas Shows and 2004 Winning Float in the Parade of Lights was Jeff's Super Service. (photo by Del Stordahl) Midway were here with acts featuring "The DeKohl Family," Jug­ 197 gling Jamboree, Allen and Lee, Flying Buddies, Virginia Lynn Dairymen's Holiday was held only two years, 1955 and 1956. Charmful chair balancing act, Alen's dogs, Caprious Canines, pup­ The Jay Gould Million Dollar Circus and carnival performed for pet acts, marionettes, Roy Barrett's Clowning, comedy dancers, two days. This circus and carnival came with high approval. There unicycle, pantomimed magic, horizontal bar, and trained pets. There also was a parade, and children who participated in it received a were lots ofrides for everyone, young and old. free carnival ride ticket. In 1950, three different circuses came to Greenbush. The first In 1955, Mayor M. W. Peterson declared a milking challenge to one, the Moris Brothers Carnival, was in for Sheep Days. Then the neighboring mayors. Then in 1956, there was a challenge for in July the Brandon Circus came with acts by Florens Troup, a high the local school superintendents to participate in the milking con­ wire act with four people executing difficult precision-type feats, test. rapid fire succession ofdances, and high jumping feats. Miss Grace Young ladies could enter a special coronation by helping to pro­ Sykes, aerialist, the Craigs, artists of the rolling globe, Lew mote Dairymen's Holiday and by selling buttons for the circus. The Henderson the greatest juggler, canine comedians, Zetta the trained coronation of the queen took place the last night of the circus. elephant, and many more outstanding features. This was sponsored Darlene (McDonald) Novacek was crowned in 1955 and Loretta by the Sheep Days Committee. TheAssociation ofCommerce spon­ (Dembiczak) Hendrickson in 1956. The buttons were required as sored the Art B. Thomas shows. admission to the circus. Local businesses also sold buttons. In July of 1955 and 1956 the Jay Gould's Congress of Riders A dance with music by Ray Lloyd and his orchestra was held at Carnival and Circus were here during the Dairyman's Holiday the Village Hall to top offthe evening. events. The Association ofCommerce was in charge of this project with In October of 1955, a carnival with a variety program based on local businesses donating their help. phases oflndian lore was played to a standing room only crowd at Submitted by Mary Ann Johnson Source: Tribune the school. A number of songs with an Indian theme was given by the high school girls' chorus with the eighth grade boys performing Easter Carnival a dance. There was a faculty skit with repeated howls of laughter as the love story of Pocahontas and John Rolfe unfolded. There The Greenbush Women of Today first sponsored the Easter Car­ was a homecoming parade with floats, the Greenbush Band, and nival in 1995 at FineTymes Supper Club in Greenbush. After a few Lake Bronson Band which included football players. years, event was moved to the Greenbush/Middle River School In 1959, the Midway ofFun Amusements with rides, shows, and Gym. concessions were uptown and ran for three days. Tickets were avail­ The Easter Egg Hunt, ECFE (Early Childhood & Family Educa­ able for purchase from the business places. tion) Craft Booth, coloring contest, and the Hop-A-Long Fundraiser . The Midway of Fun Carnival was in Greenbush for three days in are some ofthe activities that have been held at the carnival through­ 1963. Rides and shows were held on Main Street with prize draw­ out the years. The Easter Bunny visits each year to take pictures ings held throughout the day. Local merchants donated the prizes. with the kids and hand out Easter eggs, plus there are always plenty Submitted by Mary Ann Johnson Source: Tribune of fun games to enjoy. Dairymen's Holiday _ ... Tori Mekash and Maria Lorenson at Women ofToday Easter Carnival. (photo courtesy ofBecky Yeager) A cake walk and bake sale are also held with the funds benefiting different individuals or groups, such as the Greenbush Food Shelf or the Greenbush Area Friends of the Library. Thanks to volunteers from different organizations and church 1956 Dairymen's Holiday Queen Candidates Sponsored by local businesses: groups, ECFE, and monetary donations from the Greenbush Le­ Back: Darlene Novacek, Gina Reese, Barbara Lorbiecki, Joan Melby. Middle: gion and Jaycees, this community continues to grow each lone Wicklund, Ruby Paulson, Beverly SiUerud. Front: Joyce Sawyer, Wanda year. Pulczinskl, Marilyn Prosser (missing from photo Gilthvedt). The winner was Darlene Novacek. She was crowned by Loretta Hendrickson. (photo courtesy of Submitted by Angela Peterson and Mary Ann Johnson. Milt Sather) 198 Fourth of July Celebrations ers Exhibit; and the big Bowery dance was held in the evening. The 1929 celebration began with a concert performed by the On the Fourth ofJuly, in 1910, a large crowd gathered to hear the Greenbush Community Band. Following that, Paul Anderson de­ Honorable G. H. Mattson give a speech on patriotism. The crowd livered a speech. Next, there were contests, including foot races, a also enjoyed listening to many numbers that were played by the tug-of-war between the north and the south, a nail-driving compe­ Soler Comet Band. This band had been organized about a year tition for the ladies, and water fights. Then, the Greenbush band earlier by their director, P. B. Scott. Other entertainment included led everyone in a march to the big Ole Vaudeville show. The base­ bed races, a tug-of-war, sack races, greased pole climbing, and a ball game, in which Einar Johnson pitched and George Johnson baseball game between Greenbush and the Dewey Township boys. was catcher for Greenbush, was lost to Middle River. Other enter­ Although people had been anticipating the ascension of a hot-air tainment for the celebration that year included daylight fireworks, balloon, which had been advertised, it did not occur; instead, there movies, and the big Bowery dance.