Cass Lake puts carnival back into Water Carnival

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

July 22, 1999

By Devlyn Brooks

This year Cass Lake plans to put the "carnival" back into its annual Water Carnival.

Partly to celebrate the community's centennial, and partly to keep tourists in town longer during the annual Cass Lake Water Carnival, the event's organizing committee has hired the Minnesota Magic Midway carnival -- complete with amusement rides and games -- for this year's Water Carnival.

The Water Carnival kicks off today with the midway opening tonight and operating through Sunday. Most other events are scheduled Saturday and Sunday.

"It's been about 15 years since they've had a carnival with rides," Water Carnival co-chair Lynn Wimme said. "This year (the Water Carnival) is being celebrated in conjunction with Cass Lake's centennial."

To pay for the carnival, however, another aspect of the Water Carnival had to be sacrificed.

Prior to this year, a number was printed on each of the Cass Lake Water Carnival buttons. Those numbers would be used in prize drawings, and the holders of the chosen buttons would win prizes or money donated by Cass Lake businesses.

So instead of asking businesses to donate prizes for these drawings, the Water Carnival committee asked them instead to donate money to help defray the cost of the carnival.

The carnival is scheduled to have four adult rides, seven children's rides and games. Food stands will include the usual cotton candy, caramel corn and footlong hot dogs.

The second major change to the Water Carnival this year is that the annual fishing contest was dropped, according to Wimme.

It was too big of a task to continue to organize for the few volunteers considering that the number of participants in the fishing contest decreased each year, he said.

Other changes include:

• The volleyball contest has been dropped for the same reason as the fishing contest -- too few teams were participating to consider the event vital.

• There will be no dunk tank because of the insurance liability.

"We've been trying to gear things around the carnival," Wimme said. "And so we've had to drop things. We only have so many people to volunteer. If (the carnvial) is a success we might go with this format next year."

Wimme said people should know, however, that the highlights of the annual parade, Miss Cass Lake contest and Lions dinner are still scheduled.

Friday's highlights include the Miss Cass Lake contest candidate review at 7 p.m. at the Cass Lake Elementary School. There will also be a variety program and the Little Miss Cass Lake contest.

Saturday's highlights include the parade at 1 p.m., the Lions Farm and Garden Swiss steak dinner from 3:30-6 p.m., Mi-Gi-Zi trail runs in the mornings and a dance from 9 p.m. -1 a.m.

Sunday will cap the carnival with the coronation of Miss Cass Lake at 1 p.m.

Here are the highlights of the three-day Cass Lake Water Carnival:

Today

• Minnesota Magic Midway opens tonight.

Friday

• 7 p.m. -- Miss Cass Lake candidate review, Little Miss Cass contest, Five-Star Revue vaudeville performance at elementary school. Admission is $1 and a Water Carnival button.

Saturday

• 7:30 a.m. -- Registration begins for Mi-Gi-Zi Trail Run (a 5K or 10K walk/run) at American Legion.

• 8:30 a.m. -- Mi-Gi-Zi Trail Run begins at American Legion.

• 1 p.m. -- Street parade.

• Following parade -- Horseshoe contest, lumberjack contest, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, and Bemidji Community Band performance.

• 3:30-6 p.m. -- Legion hosting a farm and garden Swiss steak dinner. Cost is $5.50 for adults, $5 for seniors, $4 for high school students and $3 for elementary students.

• 9 p.m. -- Dance at American Legion. Music will be provided by RFC Productions. Amdission is $4.

Sunday

• Kiddy carnvial games.

• Children's inner tube race, tug-of-war contest, canoe tug-of-war, canoe jousting and children's games at rest area.

• 12:30 p.m. -- Miss Cass Lake coronation at rest area. Admission is a carnival button.

• 3:30 p.m. -- Drawings for cash prizes will be held at Cass Lake waterfront.