Oklee Market Day fast approaching

On August 13, 2016, the streets of Oklee will once again be filling up with people coming to enjoy a day of fun.

There are many events planned for the 2016 Oklee Market Day. 

On the corner of 2nd Ave. and Main Street, will be located a information tower with all the events planned for the day and their starting times. And also this year, the Oklee Market Day Staff will be wearing Staff Shirts for questions about events and times.

This year, many of the businesses in Oklee are holding sidewalk sales, and specials along with in-store drawings. The businesses participating are: D & R Grocery, Kinsley's Kloset, Oklee Lumber, Oklee Cafe, Cenex C-Store, and Oklee Quilting. Visit and shop and get your name in the drawings. 

Starting the day off are two events. One new and one old.

The new one is a Key Hunt. There will be 6 keys hidden in the downtown area where the Market Day activities are being held. Only one will open the lock. Prizes will be awarded for all keys, the key that opens the lock, will be the big winner.

The other will be the annual Paul's 5K Walk/Run. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. with the race starting at 9:00 a.m. Pre-register on Oklee Market Day's Facebook page: Oklee-Market-Day. Download the form and mail it in to Oklee Market Day, PO Box 152, Oklee, MN 56742.

Entry fees this year are $12 per individual and $30 for family entry.

At 9:00 a.m. the Craft Vendors will be open at the Oklee Community Hall with overflow at the RLCC High School multi-purpose room and outside vendors are welcome. And there is always room for more vendors of all types, Craft, Produce and Flea Marketers. Contact Jena Dessellier at 218-791-9233 (text or call). Cost for a spot is only $20.

Also at 9:00 a.m. the Oklee Market Day Quilt Show will open at the RLCC High School gymnasium. If you have a quilt to show, it is not too late to enter it. There are three categories: Twin & Larger quilts; Smaller quilts and other projects; and Heritge quilts and other projects. Contact Toni at 218-796-5151, 800-777-7403 or 218-688-2251 to register your quilts and projects by August 11th.

Bonus: Debra Quinn will be here to give a trunk show at 2:00 p.m. Also there will be demos and Take & Make projects throughout the day. 

10:00 a.m. brings three event openings. From last year, returning is the Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest with judging at 1:00 p.m. Bring your own chalk and decorate up the town. Register on Main Street between Oklee Quilting Supply and the Security State Bank.

Also this year, the Annual Car Show is scheduled and this year motorcycles are included. So bring your decked out autos and motorcycles and enjoy the day. "Sundown" by Wild Wes will be furnishing the music. Stroll down Main Street just south of the Oklee Cafe and check out the fantastic collection of cars and motorcycles.

And the Old Time Plowing Demonstration is once again a major event and Oklee Market Day. If your want to participate, bring your pre-1960 tractor and a 2 or 3 bottom plow and come join in the fun of day gone by. And if you just love watching, there will be an area for spectators to meet the owners, check out the old tractors and equipment. A great learning experience for children and adults of all ages.

Getting closer to noon, there are a number of food vendors ready to feed your hunger. The three local food service business in Oklee are the Oklee Cafe, Cenex C-Store and TJ's Tavern. But in addition to them, there will be two food stands set up on the streets. Zion Lutheran will be serving burgers and the American Legion Post #159 will have brats and dogs. 

11:30 a.m. the Back Seat Driver Contest will be held on 2nd Ave just west of Main Street. This is a fun event and has become a regular event at Market Day. Come test your ability to listen to directions and see if you can win the big prize.

This year during Market Days, the Red Lake County Fair board will be running a BAJA race out at the South Park as a fundraiser.Registration is from 9:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. with the race starting at 12:30 p.m.  

At 1:30 p.m. the tractors will be done plowing and they are invited to participate in a Tractor Parade. More details next week on where to line up for the parade and the route.

Street Games will be starting at 2:30 p.m. for all ages on Main Street north of 2nd Ave. Not sure what games are planned yet, but I'm sure the organizers will have a fun list of games for all ages to participate in. Could be a three legged race, egg toss, hulahoops, etc. Really don't know what is planned, but lots of fun. 

At 3:00 p.m. there will announcements of winners from the Car Show, Chalk Art Contest, the local Business Drawing winners, and the Key Hunt winner.

Things are not done yet for the Oklee Market Day. Events continue to bring fun for the evening hours.

Starting at 4:00 p.m. there will be a Chili Cook-off contest at the Oklee Hall. Contestants will bring their favorite chili and the recipe to the contest. There will be different categories. Oklee Locker is organizing this event so if you have questions, please contact Sue Dudycha at 218-796-5599.

Also at the Chili Cook-off contest, TJ's Bar will be set up and there will be a Baked Potato Bar with many fixings to enjoy before the evening of musical entertainment begins.

Starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Oklee Hall, Oklee is once again privileged to have the talents of Jack Sundrud (former Oklee resident) and Craig Bickhardt who both work in Nashville as song writers and also perform as "Idlewheel." 

Craig Bickhardt and Jack Sundrud do it all with a wry nonchalance that belies their uncommon craftsmanship. These guys know the high road of country-rock better than most. Their credits are solid and sterling. Bickhardt was a member of renowned Nashville group SKB that enjoyed country radio success with hits that included Bickhardt and Schuyler’s “This Old House”. He has also penned songs for Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Martina McBride, and B. B. King, and wrote and sang the closing theme for Robert Duvall’s Academy Award winning film TENDER MERCIES. Sundrud cracked the charts with Great Plains (Sony Records) and now plays bass in the pioneering country- rock group Poco, whose 40-year roster reads like a who’s-who in the genre. His songs have been recorded by Kenny Rogers, The Judds, The Persuasions and others. Together Craig and Jack wrote Ty Herndon’s mega hit “It Must Be Love”. 

But really, Idlewheel isn’t a spin-off of any of these projects. It’s more the product of afternoons spent swapping stories and woodshedding songs, of testing each other’s creative limits in defiance of Nashville’s prevailing conservatism.

Tickets for Idlewheel are available at Oklee Lumber, Oklee Quilting and the Oklee Herald office.

To finish off the Oklee Market Day, TJ's Tavern will have "Shell Shock" starting approximately at 9:00 p.m. after the concert by Idlewheel.

Minnesota's Finest Classic Rock 'n Roll Band! Shell Shock is Northern Minnesota's premier classic rock band.  The band consists of four seasoned musicians that have come together to play music and have a great time!  The combined professionalism, talent, experience, and they know what it takes attitude is the perfect band that audiences will enjoy.

Come out for a full day of fun events, games, and music on Saturday, August 13th!