The Suring Labor Day Celebration will bring back some favorites to help celebrate the holiday weekend.
Popular events include a truck pull on Friday night at Veteran's Memorial Park, while tractor pulls are on Saturday and a demolition derby on Sunday. Then Monday will see the parade along Main Street.
Mix in food, games, music and some shopping opportunities and you have something that can fill a niche for most everyone.
"It’s a weekend where a lot of alumni get together …," Katy Kegel, the marketing lead for the celebration. "It is like a homecoming for people."
Here's a closer look at some of the offerings at the 94th annual event that help support many community initiatives throughout the year.
Truck and tractor pulls
The 4X4 truck pulls will begin at 7 p.m. Friday for the W.U.M.P.A. Truck Pullers. It will begin with three local classes (up to 5,500 pounds, between 5,505 to 7,000 pounds, and 8,000 pounds gas or diesel), and be followed by semitrucks.
The tractor pulls begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with various paced, open and, if time allows, team pull categories.
Tickets for these two pulls are $8, with those age 7 and under being admitted for free.
At 7 p.m. Saturday night, the farm and N.E.W. classes of tractors show what they can pull, followed by the school bus pull. Tickets for the night event are $10, with free admission for those age 7 and under.
The demolition derby begins at noon Sunday, with different classes for compact, midsize, full-size, limited modified vehicles as well as vans and pickup trucks. Tickets are $10, with age 7 and under getting in for free.
Chili cook-off
Taste testers will have an opportunity to vote on their favorites in the chili cook-off from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Suring Fire Department garage.
For $5 per person for a wristband, samples are available from multiple contestants, which typically number between 10 and 15.
Ice cream will be for sale for those who need to cool down their mouth between servings.
More food
A brat fry will be available at the Suring Library from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, and pie and ice cream will be offered 10:30 a.m. on Labor Day at the park's food stand.
Booyah will be served at the American Legion Hall at 11 a.m. Monday, while the Suring Lions Club Meat Raffle is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The food stand will offer selections every day of the celebration to help stem your cravings.
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Purchasing opportunities
The Buy-Sell-Swap will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday in the grass along Ehlinger Street, just off Main Street by Legends Trailside. Local goods, crafts and more will be available.
Meanwhile, Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 206 Burk St., will hold a rummage sale from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and the Friends of the Suring Library will hold a book sale in the Learning Center Room at the Suring Village Hall, 604 E. Main St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, when bags of books will be on sale.
Music
Ken & Kris and JD Pickers will liven up the American Legion Post 283 on Friday night from 7 to 10 p.m. while Positive Energy DJ and karaoke will be available beginning at 8 p.m. at Veteran's Memorial Park.
On Saturday night. Red Maple DJ Service will provide the tunes at the park beginning at 8 p.m.
Sunday sees JD Pickers perform from 1 to 5 p.m. at the park while JT Crocker of Homegrown follows at 6 p.m. at the beer stand.
The Wilber Bros. closes out the celebration, beginning at noon Monday at the park's beer stand.
Suring Area Historical Society activities
TheSuringMuseum, 639 Main St., will be open 10a.m. to 4p.m. Saturday.
The Suring Area Historical Society also will host a Painted Rock Hunt for kids on Saturday. Dated painted rocks will be hidden along theSuringLabor Day parade route. Rocks can be brought to the museum for a free Nifty Cone certificate. One rock has a $10 reward. Limit of three rocks per person.
The Historical Society’s Annual Reunion Dinner begins at 11a.m. Sunday atRomy’sat Kelly Lake. Registration for the dinner closed Aug. 25.
For more information, call HelenHeimerlat 920-842-2400 or AdelaideBoettcherat 920-842-2041.
Other activities
One of the area's largest Labor Day Parade will kickoff at 10 a.m. Monday. This year’s theme is Oktoberfest, and anyone interested in participating in the parade can line up near Suring School free of charge.
Robert and Pat Broetzman will serve at the Maple Valley parade grand marshals while Al De Puydt will be honored as the Suring Citizen of the Year.
The Pulaski High School Band will one of the many entries in the parade, and then perform their own set at 11 a.m. at the band stand.
Bounce houses will be back at the park Saturday through Monday. A $5 daily wristband will allow kids to climb and tumble around as much as they would like.
A bean bag tournament will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday, while face painting and a magician will entertain children at noon Sunday following by a kid's money hunt.
Also, fireworks will blast off at 9 p.m. Sunday.
Funds raised aids organizations
A variety of organizations benefit from funds raised at the Labor Day Celebration, including the Suring Antique Tractor Pull, Suring FFA Alumni, Suring American Legion, Suring Lions Club, Suring Sportsman's Club, Suring Area Historical Society, Baking on the 45th Parallel, school groups, Friends of the Suring Library and local churches.
Schedule of events
Friday, Aug. 30
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. -Mt. Olive Church Rummage Sale – Burk Street
9 a.m. to 5 p.m., - Friends of Suring Library Book Sale at Village Hall Learning Center (also on Saturday)
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Brat Fry at the Suring Library on Main Street
4 to 6 p.m. - 4×4 Truck Weigh in at pulling track
5 p.m. - Food stand opens
7 p.m. - 4×4 Truck Pull. $8 for age 8 and older, 7 and younger free.
7 p.m. - Ken & Kris and JD Pickers, live music in American Legion Hall
8 p.m. - Positive Energy DJ/Karaoke at beer stand
Saturday, Aug. 31
7:30 a.m. - Tractor Weigh in at pulling track
8 a.m.: Buy – Sell – Swap, on Ehlinger Street (crafts, rummage sales and more)
8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.:Mt. Olive Church Rummage Sale – Burk Street
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Friends of Suring Library Book Sale at Village Hall Learning Center; bag sale, $5 a bag of books.
10 a.m. - Food stand opens
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Suring Area Historical Society Museum is open, Main Street
10 a.m. - Tractor Pulls; $8 for age 8 and older, 7 and younger free.
11 a,.m. to 8 p.m. - Bounce houses, $5 all-you-can-bounce daily wristband
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - Chili Cook-off at Suring Fire Department Garage. Enter with your favorite Nesco of chili. Taste testers – $5 for a wristband. Ice cream for sale.
2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Register for Boots & Mugs Bean Bag Tourney at Suring American Legion Hall; 4 p.m. start
5 p.m. - Farm Tractor and N.E.W. Hot Farm Classes Weigh in at pulling track
7 p.m. - Farm & N.E.W Hot Farm Tractor Pulls; $10 for age 8 and older, 7 and younger free.
8 p.m. - Red Maple DJ Service, music at beer stand
Sunday, Sept. 1
8 to 10:30 a.m. - Registration for Demolition Derby
10:30 a.m. - Food stand opens
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. - Bounce houses, $5 all-you-can-bounce daily wristband
Noon - Demolition Derby, $10 for age 8 and older, 7 and younger free.
Noon - Suring Homecoming Dinner, lunch at Romy’s Holiday Inn. Arrive at 11:30 a.m. Meal served at noon. Registrations were due Aug. 20.
1 to 5 p.m. - JD Pickers, music at beer stand
6 to 10 p.m. - JT Crocker, music at beer stand
9 p.m. - Fireworks
Monday, Sept. 2
10 a.m. - 94th Annual Labor Day Parade, theme is “Oktoberfest – Celebrating German Heritage;” line up by Suring School. Grand marshals: Robert and Pat Broetzman, Town of Maple Valley; Village of Suring Citizen of the Year: Al DePuydt
10 a.m. - Food stand opens
10:30 a.m. - Pie and ice cream at food stand
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Bounce houses, $5 all-you-can-bounce daily wristband
11 a.m. - Pulaski High School Band performance at band stand
11 a.m. - Booyah at the Legion Hall following the parade
11:30 a.m. - Suring Lions Club Meat Raffle
Noon - Awards ceremony
Noon - Face painting and magician
Noon - The Wilber Bros., music at beer stand
1 p.m. - Kids Money Hunt, two age groups (ages 1-5 and 6-10)
