Crookston Ox Cart Days is back with the theme “Lots To Do In ’22!” and true to its name, there are many events to do throughout Crookston next week. For each day of this week leading up to the Ox Cart Days, we will have the events scheduled on each day of Ox Cart Days.
The second day of Ox Cart Days will begin by carrying over the Kids Lemonade Stands competition, which goes until Friday, August 19. Kids can sign up and register their booth by contacting Jess Bengtson at jess.bengtson@gmail.com or 701-610-6454. Starting at 1:30 p.m. and going until 3:00 p.m., there will be a free outdoor concert by JoeSchmitz at the Benedictine Living Community. Guests are recommended to bring a blanket or a chair.
From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., the Ox Cart Days Annual Cook Out Fundraiser will be held in front of Hugo’s Family Marketplace in Crookston. “Unfortunately, the weather has combated us with our cookouts so far this summer. But each year, we usually do brats, chips, and a drink for $5 at the cookouts in front of Hugo’s,” said Ox Cart Days Director Libby Boucher. Supermarket Sweep will start at 5:15 p.m. Suzie Kaiser, and Carrie Bergquist will have two minutes to race around the store to gather as many grocery items as possible to get as close to a specific price at checkout without going over. However, they cannot get three things from the same department. The winner will get a $100 Hugo’s Gift Card, with the runner-up getting a $50 gift card. However, if both contestants go over the set amount, they will receive $50 Hugo’s Gift Cards.
During that time, the Crookston High School will hold the 11th Annual Little Miss Crookston and Junior Miss Crookston Pageants for girls ages 7-9 and ages 10-12, respectively, in the Crookston High School Auditorium. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., and the pageants will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 for adults and $4 for students. Children ages five and under can enter the pageant for free. All contestants will receive a free T-shirt, flowers, a participation gift, and the chance to ride in the torchlight parade on Saturday, August 20. At the competition, each contestant will answer a few questions about themselves, perform a talent, and walk the stage in their formal wear, with the winner not only winning the title of Little Miss or Junior Miss Crookston but also receiving a $100 cash prize, a tiara, sash, flowers, and will have their pictures on the 2023 Little/Junior Miss Crookston program. The 1st-place runner-up will also receive a sash, flowers, and a $50 cash prize. And the winner of each of the pageant’s categories will get a $10 cash prize.
The final event for the second day of Ox Cart Days will be a new one in Crookston Inn’s Ballroom with a remake of the “Let’s Make a Deal” Game Show. “It’s going to be a game show, and if anyone remembers the old “Let’s Make a Deal” game show, it’s going to be that kind of a thing,” said Boucher. Contestants will be brought up and offered a prize and given a choice to keep or exchange it for a hidden different item that may be worth more, equal, or less than the item they have (with the latter choice being called a “zonk”).
Ox Cart Days is less than a week away, with a week full of events and fun, and we will have more about the future events throughout the week. To get a button or a pocket schedule for Ox Cart Days, they can be picked up at Hugo’s Family Marketplace, Happy Joe’s Pizza & Ice Cream, Crookston City Hall, the Erickson Embroidery, and Crookston True Value. The Ox Cart Days committee is also looking for volunteers to assist with some events throughout the week in two-hour increments. To see the full schedule of Crookston Ox Cart Days, as well as any registration links for events or maps to find some events or sign up to volunteer for an event, you can find them all at www.crookstonoxcartdays.com. You can also click on Bulletin Boards under Community to see the upcoming schedule of events for each day of Ox Cart Days.
