Rock River Beerfest is this Saturday from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Blue Mound Ice Area. If you buy a ticket for the event before Saturday, you can save yourself five bucks.
Advance tickets are $25 and available at the Luverne Chamber office, Take 16 and the Blue Mound Liquor Store here in Luverne.
Time is running out to get your ticket in advance, so I would suggest you do so no later than Friday. The day of the event the ticket price goes up to $30.
New this year at Beerfest is the Stein-Holding Contest. There will be two categories — one for the men and the other for women.
Registration for the contest will start at 2 p.m. and the contest will get underway at 3 p.m.
Contestants will be competing to see who can hold a stein full of beer with one arm straight out in front of them at shoulder height for the longest time. There is a $50 cash prize for the taking by the winner in each division.
It should be a fun afternoon of sampling craft beers, and by the way, there will be wines from Minnesota wineries available for sampling as well.
Shortly after the Fourth of July celebration down at The Lake, I wrote a column about the name of the lake. I know it was a bit after the fact, but I thought the name choice could have been better.
That said, and hearing that same sentiment from more then a few people with their input, a couple more name options were run up the flagpole in this space.
It’s been about a month, and a number of people, especially at our fair booth, have come up to me and said they agree. As a name, The Lake is a bit vague.
In my column I tossed out Lake Liberty and Independence Lake. Lake Liberty has been the overwhelming favorite.
I doubt if we need a “rename the lake” campaign, but if the powers that be have an open mind to re-rename the creamery pond, consider Lake Liberty.
So Luverne is becoming the festival city, if you haven’t noticed — Memorial Day weekend, Buffalo Days weekend, Fourth of July, Hot Dog Night, Rock County Fair and the afore-mentioned Beerfest. Coming soon in a few short weeks is something new this year, a Fly-in or Drive-in Pancake breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Quentin Aanenson Field Luverne Municipal Airport.
Planes and classic cars will be on display along with Skydive Adventures and inflatables for the kids.
The air ambulance will be on display as well.
I am thinking of another name change: Luverne Love the Life — Enjoy our Festivals.