Trending
TRUMAN -- The annual Truman Days celebration kicks off this week. This year's event also has an all-school reunion tied in with it.
Nancy Salic, an active member of the Truman Days committee, said they have been planning for the festival well over a year since it was canceled last year due to the pandemic. They have been meeting once a month since March of this year.
"I really think a lot of people have been looking forward to it," Salic said.
Salic joined the committee in 2019 to help with the parade, but this year she ended up being involved in much more.
Truman Days festivities start on Thursday with city-wide garage sales. More than 30 sales will take place. More activities begin on Friday morning with vintage tractor rides.
"The park is the main place to be," Salic said, as most events will take place at Graf Park.
"The tractors come back from their ride and pull into the park. That's always incredible to see them all," Salic said.
Other events on Friday include bingo in the Truman Community Building starting at 5 p.m., followed by the Corey Sathoff memorial bean bag tournament and the men's softball tournament.
Salic said there will be various food vendors in the park starting Friday evening.
Saturday's events start bright and early at 7 a.m. with the annual "All You Can Eat: Dad's Belgian Waffle Breakfast" at the Truman Community Building.
The Trumans Days 5K run/walk begins at 7:30 a.m. Soon after that the grass volleyball tournament will start and the softball tournament will continue. The kid's tractor pedal pull begins at Graf Park at 10 a.m.
"The school will be open from nine to noon on Saturday for anyone who wants to tour it," Salic said.
Salic said members of the all-school reunion committee have been working on a slideshow that will be continually playing inside the cafeteria and it will also play at the breakfast Saturday morning.
Throughout the afternoon there will be food vendors, craft vendors, face paintings and kid's games at Graf Park.
Salic admitted that a few performance groups that have come in the past have opted out this year due to various reasons, but there will still be a variety of entertainment.
The Kittelsons will be singing in the park starting at 2:30 in the afternoon and The Scheel's Hobo Band will perform in the park prior to the parade and then will also be in the parade, which begins at 5 p.m.
Salic said there are over 80 units in the parade, including Groove Inc. and Jack Sparrow.
"We have a lot of good stuff lined up," she said.
Salic said there are usually two or three classes that sign up to be in the parade but this year four have signed up. They are the classes of '71, '72, '77 and '81.
The parade will follow the traditional route, beginning at the Post Office corner and continuing along West Ciro through downtown to the corner of North Third Avenue East to Graf Park. It will end on the north end of that block.
After the parade, there will be more entertainment at the park. White Side Walls will perform at Graf Park beginning at 8:30 p.m. Salic said the performance is tied in with the all-school reunion.
Activities wind down Sunday as the softball tournament continues. The Truman Day's sweepstakes drawing will happen at 11 a.m. at Aardvark's Bar & Grill. There will be $5,000 worth of prizes, including cash prizes and Truman Bucks. Salic said the sweepstakes helps regenerate the Truman Days funds.
Each year, the Truman Days committee selects a Grand Marshal for the parade, as well as a volunteer of the year.
This year, Lynn Brownlee, Truman's former mayor, was chosen to be the Grand Marshal. Brownlee was mayor for 10 years.
"She did a lot when she was the mayor and we wanted to recognize that," Salic said.
Dave and Cathy Sorenson and the Spruce-Up Group have been acknowledged as volunteers of the year.
"They're incredible. They've been painting buildings and picnic tables all over. It's incredible all that they've gotten done," Salic said.
Salic said if anyone is interested in helping plan next year's Truman Days, they should get in touch with a Truman Days committee member.
"We'll be glad to show them how things are done this year in order to plan for next year," Salic said.