Victoria Volksfest 2010

It was held Saturday, August 28th, and the entire day was filled with activity in Victoria — including a live auction of Adirondack chairs purchased and painted as a fundraiser for the Southwest Metro Chamber.

This year much of the Volksfest Art Fair was located along the Regional Bike Trail and Stieger Lake Lane.  Some of the 70-plus vendors also had displays on the streets in downtown Victoria.

Looking up from the bike trail and Art Fair was a landscaped scene otherwise not seen.

A flagged climbing mountain was very popular with the kids who climbed it and the people who watched.

Gloria Wartman received rave reviews from everyone sampling her German Potato Salad recipe as part of the Best of the Best and Wurst contest.  Gloria is the mother of Tom Wartman, owner developer of the Fresh Seasons Market in Victoria.

Jay Swenson of Victoria, left, and Carver County Commissioner Randy Maluchnik worked together like buddies at the Victoria Volksfest.  Jay would like to take Randy’s seat away from him in the upcoming November election.  Randy would like to keep his seat to himself.

Outdoor displays invited people indoors at the Volksfest.  Marta Christianson, owner of Victoria Rose Floral, helped Carver County Attorney Jim Keeler pick out a long-stemmed rose for his wife Sue.

Jeff and Leslie Hartman of Victoria tended their booth at the Volksfest where people could learn about plants and landscaping materials and their business of 40 years.

People kept running into people they knew at the Volksfest.  That’s Gerda and Jerry Schmieg of Victoria on the left and right.  In the middle is Julianne Wartman of Victoria and son Mike Wartman, former resident of Victoria who lives in Prior Lake.

City Engineer Cara Geheren, husband Jim, and daughter Greta, 7, of Apple Valley had a nice time at the Victoria Volksfest.

Among the many young people enjoying the Victoria Volksfest were (l-r) Bob,  Kathleen, and Joe Peterson, Angie Williams, Al Williams, Brian Schmeig, and Rhonda Notermann.

Volksfest visitors took advantage of Victoria’s popular outdoor dining at Vic’s Bar and Grill, the Victoria House, Floyd’s, and School of the Wise.

Mary Hadaway of Victoria addressed a latent longing to connect with Dale Evans, wife of the late Roy Rogers and a singing and riding talent in her own right.

“I always loved Dale Evans,” said the Board Member of Southwest Metro Chamber of Commerce, which includes Victoria business members.  At the editor’s urging, the good sport jumped into the saddle . . .

. . . with thoughts of “Happy trails to you, until we meet again.”

That’s local auctioneer Dave DuToit trying to get the most bucks for the biggest bang at the Volksfest — which was named in recognition of the German and Swiss heritage of Victoria.  Apparently, the Volksfest people couldn’t find Alps chairs.

Oh, well.  I think I’ll take a little nap.

Spectacles attract spectators and so the bedlam of the bedraces that have become part of the Victoria Volksfest attract an audience of spectators. 

There are winners and losers, wheels big and small (all of them round), boys and  girls pushing and pulling (all of them under age 50), beds both streamlined and cumbersome.

The beds and their movers and shakers sped up and down Main Street Victoria to the delight and amazement of the street-ling crowd.

The bedraces are sponsored by the Victoria Fire Department.

Love, Sue

Email:  Sue@PrintsPublishing.com

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