Visit Bluff Country

In vintage baseball, players do not use gloves, only one ball is used for the entire game, and the bat is a round wooden stick with a maximum diameter of 2.5 inches.
Photo submitted

By Charlene Corson Selbee

The Wykoff Fall Festival is stepping up to the plate this September 25-28, bringing a weekend of crowd-pleasing events, and all-ages of fun that’s sure to be a grand slam for the whole community.

Festival organizers proudly boast that, “This year is bigger than ever!”

This year’s annual classic is shaping up to be the biggest inning yet, as Wykoff celebrates the 150th anniversary of St. Johns Lutheran School – meaning more activities, more excitement, and more reasons to join the fun than ever before.

As the baseball season winds down across southeast Minnesota, fans will get a chance to watch a vintage baseball game as it was played the old-school way, just like it was in the 1860’s. On Friday, September 26, the Rochester Roosters take on the Eagles at St. Johns Lutheran School, and this is no ordinary matchup. It’s a game filled with classic rules of sportsmanship (watch your language, or you’ll face a fine from the umpire!), and plenty of laughs. Stick around for a fireworks finale at 7:30 p.m., guaranteed to be a grand slam!

The festival gets a head start with a mysterious twist on Thursday, September 25. Step into the Wykoff Commons for the Murder Mystery Dinner, “Fall Fest Foul Play: The Big the Bad and the Deadly.” The social starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. This historic stone building, built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), is located at 201 W. Bartlett Street. Tickets are advanced sale only through Eventbrite or at Minnwest Bank in Wykoff or Spring Valley.

The Wykoff Fall Festival has a lineup that is sure to please all. Attendees will enjoy the egg drop from a helicopter, a pedal tractor pull, a garden tractor pull, a car show, street dance featuring “Door 49,” bean bag tournament, a puzzle challenge, plus a lot more.

What’s a German-inspired festival without classic German cuisine? The United Methodist Church leads off with a traditional German meal at 11 a.m. on Saturday. On Friday night, St. Johns will be serving up Ruebens and Things, while the Lions Club will dish out bratswursts on Saturday. 

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.  

By Charlene Corson Selbee

Visitors flock from all over to Mabel, Minn., to take part in the annual Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days festivities. You won’t want to miss the oldest steam engine show in Minnesota, held September 4-7, with its origins in nearby Hesper, Iowa.

The members of the Toot & Whistle Club Inc. – locally known as the Toot & Whistle Boys- invite everyone to step back in time and watch the steam engines at work, sawing lumber, rock crushing, and old-time threshing. 

If you can’t attend both the Saturday and Sunday parades, make sure you attend at least one. The mighty steam engines and the resounding calliope set the stage for an amazing weekend in Mabel. It never gets old seeing and hearing the toots and whistles of the steam engines.

Long-time member of the Toots & Whistle Club, Sverre Dahl Jr., said that the calliope is a crowd favorite and always draws a large audience.

On Sunday, September 7 at 10 a.m., visitors can enjoy the Antique Tractor and Truck Pull on the Historical Society Grounds, east of the barn. 

In addition to experiencing farming as it was in the early 20th century, Steam Engine Days is the perfect time to reconnect with family and friends. Think of it as a reunion, complete with competitive games of softball and volleyball, live music, a Mabel-Canton High School football game on Friday night, three parades, a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and sausage at the Hesper Lutheran food stand, and hours of fun activities for the kids, including a foam party.

Saturday night at 6 p.m. on the south side of park is the Tri-State Pullers Tractor & Truck Pull.

Hop aboard one of the “people movers” running throughout the festival grounds and town on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for a leisure ride, and to get the lay of the land.

The full schedule of events, including times and locations, can be found online at visitbluffcountry.com.

Upcoming events in Fillmore and Houston Counties

• September 4-7, Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days, Mabel, Minn.
• September 19-21, Applefest, La Crescent, Minn.
• September 20, Fall for Harmony, Minn.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.  

For information on upcoming town festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, and vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

By Charlene Corson Selbee

Looking for an event to attend from August 22-24? Cross the Iowa-Minnesota state line and head to Cresco, Iowa, to step back in time at the annual Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest.

Enjoy a tour of Dr. Borlaug’s boyhood farm south of Cresco and learn about his mission to feed the world. He is recognized for feeding a billion people. According to the non-profit organization IFDC, “Dr. Borlaug dedicated his life to confronting hunger and poverty and that food is a moral right to all who are born into the world.”

Norwegian immigrant Dr. Borlaug fulfilled his mission earning him the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal, one of just seven people to have received all three awards. There is a statue of Dr. Borlaug in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. 

Looking for that special spot to take a selfie? In Cresco, visitors will find a 50’ x 30’ mural honoring Dr. Borlaug, created by Charles City artist Robin Macomber. The mural is located at 110 1st Ave. West and illustrates the importance of agriculture in Northeast Iowa and the life and times of Dr. Borlaug. 

Other hallmark events celebrating Cresco’s honorary son that you do not want to miss include the Hospital Auxiliary Quilt Auction, Cruise to Cresco, 5K Run/Walk, parade, pop-up vendor market, farmers market, bingo, food vendors, and much more.

Enjoy a filling breakfast on Saturday morning and/or a dinner of steak and pork loin on Saturday afternoon at the VFW hall.

Make plans to stay and enjoy the sounds of Cresco resident and country music artist Braelyn McCarville at 6 p.m., followed by country music artist and former Winneshiek County resident Cory Farley at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening in the Harvest Fest Tent.

New this year is the Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) Steak Cookoff, an internationally sanctioned barbeque competition in Beadle Park. This event is an opportunity for grilling enthusiasts to take part in a sanctioned barbecue competition with certified judges, and offers an opportunity for festival attendees to talk with the competitors and gain some tricks of the trade.

The full schedule of events, including times and locations, can be found online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

Upcoming events in Fillmore and Houston Counties

• August 13-18, Ag Days Celebration, Spring Valley, Minn.
• August 14-18, Houston County Fair, Caledonia, Minn.
• August 14, Rhythm by The River, Preston, Minn.
• August 15-17, Canton Day Off Celebration, Canton, Minn
• August 16, Music on the Bluff, Whalan, Minn.
• August 16, Bluff Land Tri: Run, Bike, Hike, Rushford, Minn.
• August 17-20, SEMBA Summer Bluegrass Festival, Houston, Minn.
• August 22-24, Norman Borlaug Harvest Fest, Cresco, Iowa
• September 4-7, Hesper-Mabel Steam Engine Days, Mabel, Minn.

Photo:
The life and times of Dr. Norman Borlaug are illustrated on a 50′ x 30′ mural in Cresco, Iowa.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee