Generations who took on chill of winter event honored
NISSWA JUBILEE
NISSWA - Some of Nisswa's best celebrations - like Nisswa's City of Lights and Saturday's Nisswa Jubilee - are held during the cold, winter months.
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So it may come as no surprise that the city honored its hardiest of community members Saturday, those generations of Nisswa families like the Wallins and Dullums, to name only two, who year after year don their hats, mittens, snowpants and Sorels to celebrate winter together despite the deep chill.
"Generations of Nisswa" was the theme of the 35th annual Nisswa Jubilee, hosted by the Brainerd Lakes Area Lions and sponsored by the Pickle Factory, Nisswa American Legion, Nisswa Fire Department, Nisswa Lions, Nisswa Chamber of Commerce, Nisswa Women of Today and many more.
Events included a parade down Main Street, a medallion hunt, snow sculptures, helicopter rides, children's games, broomball and volleyball tournaments and dances.
The theme for this year's 35th annual Nisswa Jubilee was "Generations of Nisswa." To reflect that theme, the parade grand marshals were the three generations of the Ted and Jim Dullum families.
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Parade grand marshals were the three generations of the Ted and Jim Dullum families, longtime Nisswa families. There were 26 float entries in Saturday's parade where warmly-dressed families lined Main Street in Nisswa.
A touching tribute was paid to the late Scott "Mike" Thurlow, a longtime advocate of the Nisswa Parks and Recreation program. American Legion member and a volunteer Nisswa firefighter, who died Jan. 18. Family and friends of Thurlow marched together in Saturday's parade to remember him and his contributions to the city.
A Scott "Mike" Thurlow Memorial Scholarship Fishing Derby was held on Nisswa Lake Sunday, sponsored by the Nisswa Fire Department.
Families played an integral role in this year's Jubilee. The Wallin family chose the Nisswa Jubilee parade to surprise family member Victor Wallin. They decorated a float titled, "Grumpy Old Man," to surprise Wallin for his 40th birthday, complete with his fishhouse and friends on board. The float won Most Fun in Saturday's parade.
Snow sculptures decorated the landscape Saturday during the 35th annual Nisswa Jubilee. A sculpture of three bears eating strawberries created by Mary Groe won fourth place.
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Far too little snowfall this year forced Jubilee organizers to seek snow elsewhere for the popular snow sculpture contest. Susan Mezzenga, Nisswa executive director, said the snow was collected from large retail chain store parking lots, including the Fleet Farm parking lot in Baxter.
There were six snow sculpture entries this year, ranging from a large snow head of Nisswa fishing legend Marv Koep, which won third place, to a couple of slumbering fat bears that had filled their stomachs with fresh strawberries, made of snow, from Wallin's strawberry farm. The sculpture placed fourth.
A fishing scene, created by Keith Diederichs, took first place in the snow sculpture contest while a snowy replica of the former Nisswa Oil Co., was the second place winner, created by the Wallins.
Brent Best, a ninth-grader at Brainerd High School South Campus, won first place in the youth category with his snow sculpture of an American Indian, a trapper and a "modern guy." He was assisted by eighth-grader Dakota Austad.
Cheri Wright of Nisswa worked at standing up a particularly tricky leaning log Saturday during the wood splitting contest during the 35th Annual Nisswa Jubilee. Wright ultimately came in third place among the women.
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This was Best's second year competing in the snow sculpture event. He said he has participated in creating snow sculptures for the Nisswa Jubilee for the past six years. He also won a first place in the youth category last year.
"The hardest part is the details," said Best. "It's fun. Just getting outside and seeing what you can create."
Jaime McDonald, Nisswa Jubilee chair, said although the weather was brisk on Saturday there were still a lot of people enjoying the annual event.
JODIE TWEED can be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.