Iron County Fair This Weekend

Miners Day Family Picnic August 31:

Rainbow the Clown will welcome one and all to the Miners Day family picnic at the Iron County Museum on Sunday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free face painting will be part of the day’s fun. Other activities include a slide show by Michael Riech, Curator of Earthhaven Museum in Gillett, Wis. Riech’s show about the rocks and minerals of the area will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. He will also feature a display and will help identify any rocks or minerals that people may bring. Jessie McPherson will provide music from the Bond House porch, while attendees are free to visit buildings on the grounds and purchase picnic items that will be on sale in the Bond courtyard. As in the past, homemade pies will also be part of the picnic food available. The picnic site is different from other years due to the renovation project that is now underway in the logging area. This gives visitors an opportunity to see many of the improvements that have taken place at the museum in the last two years.Golf cart shuttle service will be available throughout the day, especially to the Giovanelli House from 1 to 4 p.m.At 2 p.m., a Miners Memorial wreath ceremony will take place in the Mining Hall to honor all deceased miners of the area. Door prizes will be awarded, but you need not be present to win. The Miners State Bank of Iron River is making this event possible. For additional information, contact the museum at 265-0529

Open Mic Night:  Aug 30

The next Open Mic Night at the Windsor Center is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30. This month’s lineup features organist Dave Wickerham, Joe Parker, Melanie Rolle, Gary Friestrom and Krista Gussert and pianist Jim Dettlaff. Sponsors for the evening are Riverside Pizza and Dina Mia Kitchens. The show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is $3. Children under 12 get in free.

Mansfield Picnic:  Aug 30

Saturday, Aug. 30, at the recreation area (tennis court) on M-69 in Mansfield Township. The Mansfield Memories Committee invites residents, neighbors, former residents and anyone who has an interest in Mansfield activities to come and join in the fun. At 2:30 p.m., there will be the annual softball game (Wiffle Ball) pitting the Bombers against the Crushers, led into battle by Norm Mika and Randy Beck. Both teams will be vying for the Rudy Johnson Memorial Trophy. Following the ball game, there will also be the egg toss, which is open to young and old alike and always proves to be quite interesting whether you are a participant or spectator. The picnic activities will then move to the Mansfield Township Hall on M-69 for the picnic buffet. The cost for the buffet is a donation of $5 and a dish to pass. Children under 10 are free. Non-alcoholic drinks will also be available for purchase throughout the afternoon. It is recommended that anyone wishing to attend sup- ply their own lawn chair to make the afternoon more comfortable. In case of inclement weather, all picnic activities will be held at the Mansfield Township Hall. For more in-formation, call 875-3553 or 875-3706

Alvin Labor Day Celebration:  Aug 30

Alvin Volunteer Fire and Rescue will celebrate its 17th annual Labor Day picnic on Saturday, Aug. 30 at Buchanan Park. Festivities will begin at 11:45 a.m. The raising of the American flag and pledge of allegiance will be coordinated by Air Force veteran, Sergeant Shelly Stapleton. The invocation will be given by Reverend Della Rosenow. A cannon will be discharged by Civil War historian, Ron Hettwer. Free musical entertainment begins at noon and lasts until 5 p.m., featuring Mark Wayne and his steel guitar, Bobby Bullet and Pamela Nesbitt, vocalists, Donna Gaspardo and Bill Wilkinson, and “The Judge and Jury” band. DJ Mike Braun will provide the evening entertainment from 5 to 10 p.m. in the new bandstand, which has a recently-completed dancefloor. This year, first responder Dave Monson will be master of ceremonies. “We’re adding many new children’s activities through-out the day,” said Rosenow, who is the Games Coordinator. “We will have separate competitions and prizes between younger and older children. Starting at 1 p.m., we begin with our traditional scavenger hunt in the woods. At 1:30 p.m., there will be a coin hunt in the sand. At 2 p.m., there will be team races, using spoons and ping-pong balls. At 2:30 p.m., the kids will team up for beach ball hockey. At 3 p.m., there will be beach blanket catch and at 3:30, a three-legged race.” This year, from 4 p.m. at the pavilion, a new competition is planned for children and adults — a marshmallow blow-pipe game — followed by the popular pickle rocket contest, which celebrates its ninth year. Buchanan Park’s children’s playground was erected by Alvin Fire and Rescue two years ago. This year, there will also be a bounce house sponsored by Mike and Kathy Hintz of Dedicated Systems of Green Bay. The park has a tournament-size shuffleboard court, a volleyball court and a horseshoe pit. There will be beverages, burgers, brats and dogs, as well as roasted corn, funnel cakes and popcorn. Gary Stapleton will bring a truckload offirewood, for which people can guess how many pieces of wood it contains. The Alvin-Nemla Women’s Club will sponsor craft items and a bake sale. A hand-made quilt with matching pillows has been contributed for a bucket prize by Kelly Kolosso and Kari Koehnke\The picnic will have prize drawings throughout the day, with the main raffle at 7 p.m., featuring: a Browning X Bolt 30/60 rifle, a kayak, a butchered pig, a 39” TV, 10 yards of gravel, a truckload of wood and a cash prize of $200. “This picnic is our primary source of income,” said Fire Chief Gerald Gasparado. “It supports our efforts to protect an area of 128 square miles. We additionally provide mutual aid to several other fire districts.” In May, 2014, picnic funding directly aided the training of eight members of Alvin and Phelps fire departments in a six-hour extrication course from Nicolet College, which instructed the participants in use of tools and procedures for releasing victims trapped in vehicles. Extrication equipment will be displayed at the picnic, and Alvin first responder Linda Monson will be on hand to explain the equipment’s use. Buchanan Park is located three miles northwest of High-way 55 on Highway A and is bordered by Whitt and Rock Dam Roads. Raffle tickets may be purchased from any department member or during the picnic at Buchanan Park.

Crystal Theater Concert:  Aug 31

Hip Pocket Rocks, a powerful 10-member band, will appear Sunday, Aug. 31 at 3 p.m. at the Crystal Theatre as part of the “Gem of a Season” concert series. The Wisconsin Area Music Industry nominated this seasoned group of musicians for the Best Big Band/Horn Band Award of 2013. The group’s versatile repertoire ranges from classic rock and rhythm and blues to Cajun and country rock hits. Advanced tickets for the performance may be purchased for $17 at Ben Franklin’s in Crystal Falls, Central Arts and Gifts and the Iron County Chamber Office in Iron River, Steamin’ Joe’s in Florence, and The Music Tree in Iron Mountain. Tickets may also be purchased online at www. thecrystaltheatre.org or by calling 367-4072. Admission at the door is $20 for adults and $5 for youths under 18.