Crowds of locals and visitors will converge on Starbuck this weekend for the annual Heritage Days and there is a full weekend of events planned starting this Thursday through Sunday.

Local businesses will have crazy days sales and there are tons of activities for kids and adults. 

Thursday Night on the Town and the Farmers Market will still be happening on June 30, but there will also be Family Fun Night games on West Depot Lane starting at 4 p.m. along with several other activities. 

Crazy Days sales continue Friday as does the Little Miss Minnewaska Coronation and dessert auction. The Starbuck Fire Department is hosting a street dance on Friday night featuring Dirty Word, a high energy group that has been entertaining crowds for over 20 years.

Get out your running shoes to start your Saturday with the Color Run. There is a craft fair, bake sale, quilt raffle, kiddie carnival and a car show happening in the morning as well. The afternoon brings the kiddie parade at 4 p.m. followed by the Grande Day Parade at 5 p.m. with this year’s grand marshals Greg and Nancy Rapp. Coronation of the 17th Annual Miss Minnewaska will be held at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks start at 10 p.m.

The weekend-long event ends on Sunday morning with a community church service followed by a picnic lunch at Lakeshore Park.

Schedule of events for Starbuck Heritage Days this weekend

THURSDAY, JUNE 30th

• 12:00 pm – 1st Find the Nutcracker Clue at Nutcracker Café

• 4:00-7:00 pm – Family Fun Night games on West Depot Lane behind “There’s No Place Like Home”

• 4:30 pm – Thursday Night on the Town and Farmer’s Market  at the Depot

• 6:00 pm – Animal Pull Tab Races at Water’s Edge Sponsored by the Starbuck Fire Dept. Auxiliary

• 6:30 pm – Package Bingo at the VFW

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FRIDAY, JULY 1st

• All Day – Business Crazy Days

• 9:00-9:45 am – Kids Fun Run in the Park sponsored by Stevens Community Medical Center/Starbuck Clinic. Register at the Water’s Edge Parking Lot

• 10:00 am – Starbuck Police Dept. Bike Rodeo at the Depot

• 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Holly Ridge Manor Parking Lot Coloring Contest sponsored by Holly Ridge Manor

• 12:00 pm – 2nd Find the Nutcracker Clue

• 4:30-7:30 pm – Starbuck Fire Dept. Pork Feed at the Fire Hall

• 5:00 pm – Little Miss Minnewaska Coronation and Dessert Auction at the Community Center  

• 5:30 pm – Youth Golf Tournament Ages 5-12 at Minnewaska  Golf Course

• 5:30-7:30 pm – Taco Feed at the VFW

• 7:00-12:00 pm – Starbuck Fire Department Street Dance featuring Dirty Word from 8:00 pm to Midnight behind the Fire Hall. $10 at the gate.

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SATURDAY, JULY 2ND 

• All Day – Business Crazy Days

• 6:30 am – 55th Annual Starbuck Golf Invitational – 18 Hole Mixed Scramble at Minnewaska Golf Club

• 7:00 am – 12:00 pm – Fly-in, Drive-in, Walk-in Pancake Breakfast at the Airport. Rides available from Alex Aviation

• 7:30 am – Registration for Heritage Days Color Run at the Swimming Beach Parking Lot

• 8:30 am – Color Run begins

• 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – Craft Fair between Harry’s Barber Shop & State Farm Insurance

• 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – MCHS Aux. Bake Sale – Serving Tacos in a Bag or a BBQ Sandwich – Quilt Raffle at 1pm

• 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Inflatables for Kids at the Depot

• 10:00 am – Kids Pedal Pull Competition at the Depot, sponsored by Eagle Bank.  

• 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Clueless the Clown Balloon Twisting & Friendship Bracelets at the Depot sponsored by the Starbuck Fire Dept. Aux. & the Starbuck Chamber of Commerce

• 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Jeanne Mix Temporary Tattoos at the Depot, sponsored by Minnewaska Liquor

• 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Depot, Caboose, and Museum Open House. Food and Lefse Available.

• 10:30 am – 1:30 pm – Kiddie Carnival by the Depot.

• 11:00 am – Shine and Show Car Show on West 5th Street. Hosted by The Tavern & Franny. Info at 320-805-0087

• 11:00 am – 1:00 pm – Hemker’s Zoo to You at the Depot, sponsored by Starbuck Telephone Co and Red Horizon

• 12:00 pm – Kids 12 & under Rock Coloring, sponsored by Precision Auto Body & Frame. Register at the Craft Fair

• 12:00 pm – 3rd and final clue, Find the Nutcracker

• 2:30 pm – Miss Minnewaska Visiting Royalty Queen’s Tea at the Starbuck Community Center

• 4:00 pm – Kiddie Parade – Starbuck Clinic to the Minnewaska Lutheran Home, sponsored by the Starbuck Dairy Queen

• 5:00 pm – GRANDE DAY PARADE

• 5:30 pm – Meat Raffle at the Starbuck VFW

• 6:30 pm – (Following the Parade) – 17th Annual Miss Minnewaska Pageant/Coronation at Starbuck Park Band Shell

• 7:00 pm – GFWC Fundraiser Drawing for 2 handcrafted Starbuck Shepard’s Hooks at the Park Bandshell

• 10:00 pm – FIREWORKS!  Starbuck Airport, sponsored by the Brang Foundation, Starbuck Fire Dept. & Aux., Starbuck Men’s Veterans Auxiliary, and the Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce

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SUNDAY, JULY 3rd

• 10:00 am – Community Church Service, Lakeshore Park. Picnic Lunch following the service sponsored by Fron Church

* All dates and times are subject to change. 

Meet the 2021-2022 Miss Minnewaska & Jr. Miss Minnewaska Royalty

Queen Riley Metz

Rylee Metz, daughter of Nathan and Jennifer Metz, is currently attending the University of North Dakota, majoring in Marketing with a minor in communications. “In the future I hope to work for a big clothing company as their marketing personnel and be part of the design and clothing creation,” she said. Her crowning was a dream come true. She had been a Little Sister when she was eight and again at age ten and had wanted to be a part of Heritage Days ever since. “I couldn’t have been happier in that moment!” said Rylee. She has really enjoyed making memories and getting close to her royal family. “I also love the memory of the little girls eating watermelon with mustard on it in Clara City. I will miss my girls and royal family the most but will also miss going to parades and events and meeting the other royalty,” she mentioned. Rylee advises this year’s candidates to have fun, be yourselves and make memories. “The weekend goes faster than you think, so soak it all in and have a blast representing Starbuck!” Rylee spent her reign sponsored by Glacial Ridge Health System. 

Princess Avery Jorgenson

Avery Jorgenson has spent the last year representing Starbuck as Miss Minnewaska Princess and has enjoyed every minute. “I felt super excited and happy when I was crowned and am so grateful to have been chosen,” she said. 

Her year has been full of adventures, but her favorite memory is participating in the Anoka parade and seeing the themes from other royalty and organizations.  “I’m going to miss seeing the other girls so often and making memories with them,” Avery said.

She has a hint of advice for the incoming candidates, “Have a lot of fun and cherish the memories! The year goes by so fast!”

Avery is attending Southwest Minnesota State University with a major in psychology. She plans to work as a psychologist upon completion of her schooling. Her parents are Jeremy and Allison Jorgenson.

Princess Hailey Jackson

Hailey Jackson was really anxious before her crowning last year, but after the anxiety went away and became pure joy and excitement. She loves representing Starbuck. The pontoon parade at Waterama is Hailey’s favorite memory from her reign. “It was really fun to get together and decorate the pontoon and we had the best dance party on the lake!” she said.

She is going to miss touring all of the Minnesota towns and the people she has met, but the biggest thing she will miss is having her fellow royalty beside her. She wants to pass along to her successors to be themselves and have fun. “Whether you win or not, heritage week is a lot of fun and allows you to get to know a lot of people,” she mentioned. 

Hailey is currently enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire pursuing a degree in healthcare administration with plans to achieve a master’s degree. Her parents are Darwin Jackson and Debra Smith and she is sponsored by Starbuck Dairy Queen.

Jr. Queen Jayda Hormann

Jayda Hormann, daughter of Devin and Chelsea Hormann, recalls a popular memory amongst the other royalty. “Queen Rylee had me and Kaylee try watermelon with mustard on it. It wasn’t good.” Her overwhelming happiness from being crowned Junior Queen made up for it. “I will really miss everything, from tea parties to parades to coronations. I loved seeing the aquatennial and making friends in all parts of Minnesota,” she added.

Her best words of advice for this year’s candidates are, “Be true to yourself, the time goes super-fast so make sure to enjoy every minute of it!” The fifth grade Little Miss Minnewaska would like to pursue a career as a teacher when she grows up.

Jr. Princess Kaylee Martin

Kaylee Martin, daughter of Frank and Michalene Martin, was super surprised when she was crowned. “There were so many candidates, I didn’t think I would get a crown,” said the Junior Miss Minnewaska. “I’m going to miss my royal family.” She recalls a good memory from the past year of herself and Jayda eating watermelon with mustard on it at a parade in Clara City. “It is not good.”

Her advice for this year’s candidates is pretty simple, “be ready for all the pictures coming your way!” Kaylee attends Minnewaska Area Schools and would like to become a doctor when she reaches adulthood.