3rd Annual Goodridge Freedom Festival

With the last couple of years being such a success, the Good-ridge Freedom Festival is gearing up for another round of fun and celebration. The 3rd Annual Freedom Fest will be taking place at the Goodridge Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday, July 27th. With numerous vendors set up, featured artists on display and free entertainment under the band shell all day, the event is sure to be another hit with young and old alike. Consider checking it out with some of the top picks back on the schedule, along with plenty of new additions added to the day. 

With the help of a grant and local sponsors, the hard work of many has resulted in a day-long event filled with music, art and activities for all ages.

Event Line-Up

8:30am: Freedom Run 5K/10K Registration

9:30am: Freedom Run Starts

10:30am: Eric Mickelson Singer/Emcee

11am-12pm: Tami Lee and the Northern Lights Perform

12pm: Goodridge School Band Performs

12-12:30pm: Red, White & Blue Presentation to Veterans

12:30-1pm: Freedom Run Awards Presented

1pm: Parade

1:30-2pm: The Jensen Sisters Perform

2-2:30pm: Jordynn Johnsrud Performs

2:30-3:30pm: Tami Lee and the Northern Lights Perform

3pm: Live Auction with Walter Jones 

3:30-7:30pm: Tami & The Bachelor Perform

8pm-12am: Jeff Loven Performs

Dusk (10pm): Memorial Sky Lantern Send-Off

Freedom Run 5K/10K

Help raise awareness for PTSD and run for a good cause. New this year is the Freedom Run 5K/10K. Race day kicks off with 8:30am registration and 9:30am go time! All proceeds will be donated to Mission 22, which is a non-profit that combats the ever-rising veteran suicide rate by raising awareness and providing treatment to veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and any other issues they might be facing. The event is sponsored by Sanford Health Wellness Center and the Goodridge Area Fire & Rescue Department. Registration information can be found on the Goodridge Freedom Festival Facebook page or by contacting Rozlynn Johnsrud of Goodridge. Register by July 10th to receive a t-shirt.

Red, White & Blue 

Quilters Presentation

This year, five veterans will be honored at the Goodridge Freedom Festival and presented with quilts made by the Red, White & Blue Quilters out of Thief River Falls. They are Harold Skreland, Arlen Johnson, Lyle Watne, Merton Hutchinson and Marvin Hutchinson. This program will run from 12-12:30pm that Saturday under the Band Shell.

Memorial Sky 

Lantern Send-Off 

Light a lantern for a loved one while Jeff Loven sings a memorial tribute song. Memorial lanterns are a beautiful way to pay tribute to the loss of a loved one. The lanterns will be released at the end of the Goodridge Freedom Festival at sundown. They can be purchased the day of the festival; to purchase in advance, contact Berny Vraa or Trudy Hyland. (Due to the unexpected rain last year, lanterns that were purchased are reserved and available for pick up at the GVMP booth.)

Free Music 

Get ready for some small town family fun with music all day until midnight in the Veteran’s Memorial Park Band Shell! Emcee/Singer/Musician Eric Mickelson and his wife Patty will be performing. Music will also be provided by Jeff Loven, Tami and the Bachelor, Tami Lee and the Northern Lights, Jordynn Johnsrud and The Jensen Sisters!

Featured Artists

Not only are there some great musicians lined up for the festival, there are also going to be a number of impressive artists there throughout the day. Check out some of the artists below.

Featured artist, Gloria Umber, of Creative Glass by Gloria, will feature her unique hand cut fused glass at the Freedom Festival. Stop by her booth to check out her beautiful fused glass art available for purchase.

Caricaturist Trevour, of Exaggerated Entertainment, is from Moorhead, MN. He will be back again this year to draw his caricatures that everyone so much enjoyed!

Face painter, Kathy Bauck, of “The Painters Den,” is from New York Mills, MN. She is a three-dimensional artist who specializes in custom work and wants to be a step above the rest in everything she does. She does face painting, body painting and more! She paints on feathers, saw blades and just about anything. Her artwork can be seen on her Facebook page called The Painters Den.

Dean Brateng, a rug weaver, will be on site that day, along with Diane Bach, who is an author of Guide Books. Sue and Joe Miller will demonstrate blacksmithing of Ravens Work Forge. Other artists include Jeff Swenson with his handcrafted guitars and Tammy Hansen, who is an acrylic artist.

Authors

Jill and Deane Johnson, authors of “Little Minnesota in WWII” and “Little Minnesota 100 Towns Around 100,” will host a book signing and talk about their best-selling Little Minnesota books at the Freedom Festival on Saturday, July 27th. “Little Minnesota in WWII” honors the brave men from the smallest rural towns in Minnesota.

Vendors in the Park 

Many, many vendors are scheduled to set up in the park on Saturday, July 27th, from 10am-4pm. There is sure to be something for everyone. The line-up thus far includes: Hruby’s Rustics, Bellefy’s Local Bubbles, Rogue Soprano Studio, Wood crafted replica tractors/trucks by Duane Kotrba, WLB Crafts by Bernadine Reed, Perfectly Posh, Color Street, Paparazzi, Tupperware, SeneGence/Lip Sense, Magnolia & Vine, Valentus, Bett’s Pottery, Handmade Mama LLC, Westside Brafts, Baubles & Bits, Homemade Caramels by Melissa, Section 21 Apparael, Santl Outdoor Furniture, Bake My Day, Mich’el Artisan Soapery, Jodi’s Countryside Jewelry, Lila Rose, 31 Bags, Usborne Books, Paisley Raye, Pure Romance and Lularoe. Ashley Stratton Photography will also be at Freedom Fest this year booking mini sessions for those interested. 

Food Vendors

And if you get hungry? Hit up the following food vendors: Baker Street Sales, Sap Sap Kitchen (Asian and Laotian selections), Goodridge Cenex Café, Wallce’s Kettle Corn and LHS Student Council Ice Cream Stand.

Activities for kids

As if all of the above wasn’t enough!? There will also be lots of fun activities for the kids, which includes the Bemidji National Guard Rock Climbing Wall and Dunking Stand! New this year is a Bungee Jumper for kids and adults. Fun Box Slimes were a hit at last year’s Freedom Festival and they will be back again this year. Kids can decorate their slime with different scents, glitter and beads. The Happy Hippy Hoop Company will also be set up providing 100 hoops to play with and hours of fun for all ages. They will also have a vendor tent with Handmade Happy Hoops, Festival Tails, Hip Clothes and more.

Sponsors of Freedom Fest

This event is funded in part by a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council and the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Other local sponsors include Goodridge Area Development, Salo Signs & More, Goodridge Lion Tamers, Prairie Planting Plus, Hruby Road Service, American Legion Post 117, Baker Street Sales, DJ’s K9 Country, Electronics Plus of TRF, Farmer’s Union Oil of TRF, Goodridge Farmer’s Coop Creamery, Hunts Creek Ag & Trucking, Hyland Farms and Northern Ag, Inc.

Freedom Festival Committee

The Freedom Festival Coordinators are Berny Vraa and Trudy Hyland. Committee members include Donnie Vraa, Aldon Hyland, Donnie Jensen, Bob Homme, Dawn Hanson, Lynn Hanson, Clayton Johnsrud, John Lovly, Carol Lovly, Michael Lovly, David Jones and Rob Blankenfeld. 

Come on out to the 3rd Annual Goodridge Freedom Festival on Saturday, July 27th! The day’s festivities start right away in the morning with free admission. It’s definitely going to be an event you won’t want to miss out on.