ABOVE: Kart drivers perform tricks and spins at last year’s Interlaken Heritage Days Parade. The route of the Interlaken Heritage Days parade conventionally travels from Heritage Acres, past Downtown Plaza and toward Lincoln Park. The parade showcases clubs, teams, churches, musicians, and several other organizations, attracting the attention of families. Submitted photo.

FAIRMONT – The Interlaken Heritage Days (IHD) of Fairmont is an annual tradition which represents the community and its core values. The event has been held for years, providing the people of Fairmont with entertainment, vendors and more to begin the warmest season of the year. The summer festival will be held June 7 and 8.

Rachel Greeley is a member of the planning committee for IHD (among seven members total), and oversees event planning that can be made accessible to people of all ages, abilities and interests within Fairmont. The organization is a non-profit, 501(c)3 group, run completely by volunteers with a pure drive to keep the festival as an annual tradition.

“We plan for next year…now,” Greeley said with a chuckle, noting that the committee already has hopeful preparations for 2025.

“We start planning a year in advance. It takes us a year to plan and fundraise. If we don’t fundraise, we don’t have money to pull off the events,” she added.

The IHD committee, thankfully, is supported by a team of donors and sponsors. However, the list can gladly keep growing, as funds are needed annually to provide this entertainment to the public. Volunteers are welcome as well to assist with planning and guarantee 2025 a IHD festival in Fairmont.

For many years, IHD has served to not only provide the people of Fairmont with entertainment, but to also nose-dive into the history of Fairmont, the atmosphere of the town and what it represents for the people who live in the city of lakes. On May 4, the committee held a spring vendor/craft show to tease the upcoming festival and showcase vendors.

“Everyone looks forward to [the events]. When people grow up, have kids, they come back so they can share what they experienced,” said Greeley. “A lot of class reunions happen during this time, too. It brings the whole community of Fairmont together.”

Last year, there was a dilemma with the weather as rain not only stirred unease about having a parade during a storm, but prevented the annual IHD street dance from occurring outdoors, and was instead pushed into the Green Mill/Best Western room.

With hope for better weather for the upcoming summer-kickoff events, the street dance will take place at the Sylvania Park Bandshell. Acoustics will be provided by Southern Minnesotan rock, country, and funk band – Misguided Inc. The bandshell makes a perfect fit for the new location of the street dance; the ‘shell’ anatomy of the bandshell serves to amplify the music performed as well as taking place in a lively environmental setting.

“There was a period of time where IHD didn’t happen,” Greeley noted.

She explained that the ‘rebirth’ of IHD was thanks to a team with a mutual, passionate goal to bring back such a significant event into the community’s hands. Greeley herself is approaching her 10 year anniversary of being on the IHD committee, having started in 2015.

Events kick off Friday with a community meal at Heritage Acres Agricultural Interpretive Center. Last year more than 1,000 people took advantage of the offering, which also includes games, train rides and bouncy houses.

On Saturday, a full day of events are slated to happen, with many vendors and attractions being set up at Gomsrud Park. More things will be set up on Downtown Plaza in conjunction with IHD.

New features this year include sand volleyball, traveling escape rooms, Robert the Magician and more. After the grand parade, which will follow its traditional route, the street dance will take place.

The full calendar for all the IHD events is available on the event’s website. Positions of committee members/volunteers are open, and those interested are strongly encouraged to reach out to the present committee members’ contact for further information. Sponsorships and donations help the IHD committee and community thrive.