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Bessemer 2011 Pumpkin Festival

BESSEMER - October 3, 2011

This weekend Bessemer celebrated its 33rd Annual Pumpkinfest. Saturday, pumpkins were everywhere in the city. At EJ Oas’ field a Trebuchet was catapulting pumpkins at a fort across the field. The device propels the pumpkins with a tremendous force when the trigger is released and a 900 pound weight cooperates with gravity. Pictured above is three year old, Owen Eli, selecting just the right ammunition.

More sociable uses of pumpkins could be found at city hall where a Pie Social took place. Pumpkin pies and other high sugar pleasures were plentiful, and you could enjoy the dessert as you listened to the Washington School Choir sing 21 songs selected by the k-4 students. The kids were performing under the direction of Lowell Roderick.
 
 
 
Later in the afternoon the Gogebic Range Concert Band performed at the Pie Social. Earlier in the day the band performed at a wedding ceremony in Hurley. The band played songs including: Buglers Holiday, Witches Waltz, The Adams Family and many more od their audiences favorite melodies.

 

 

 

above - helium filled balloons fly above Sophie Street. Each balloon was purchased by sponsors. The fundraiser grossed $600, however, the cost of the helium has double over the past year.
Outside on Sophie Street there were more Pumpkin Pies. A pie eating contest was held just north of city hall. The winner of the 5-8 year class was Angelo Harville, Jamie Kapelka
won the 9-11 year old class, and winning the 12-14 year class was Becky Deitz.

 

The day began with a Kiddies' Parade down Sophie Street. Although the morning began unseasonably cool, it was just fine at parade time. Mom and Dad’s as well as family pets accompanied the kids all dressed up in their Halloween attire.
After the parade the kids could play in a Tony the Tiger themed jump house as usual it the was the center of attention for the younger kids. For the adults there were vendors all along Sophie Street.
Dave and Skippy returned to Sophie Street. The ventriloquist act is very popular with the kids.

Skippy and Dave have logged many miles and over 3,000 performances across the country at schools, clubs, concerts, colleges, conventions, libraries, and countless fairs and festivals.

Dave's cast of characters includes Skippy (his right hand man), who accompanied Dave to Bessemer.

Before making the switch to full-time ventriloquist, Dave was a singer and songwriter on the college circuit who has recorded and released four albums and three videos
Some of the highlights of Skippy and Dave's career have been opening for the likes of magician David Copperfield, being featured in the nationally distributed book Dustin's Big School Day, and performing as a main attraction at the world's largest aviation convention.
The Tired Iron Antique Tractor Club presented a tractor show and a tractor pull. The event took place in mud pits behind the BP Station. There was a large crowd on hand to watch the tractor pull; and there were many great tractors being shown.
An Arts and Crafts Fair was hosted at A.D. Johnson, where there were many shoppers as well as vendor. The fair also include an exhibit in the school woodshop. There the Gogebic Range Woodcarvers displayed some of their great work and patrons could tour the shop and meet the artists. The woodcarvers are now working with students using soap as their carving medium. No more wood or tools thanks to the newly elected  state  government slashing school budgets.
 

Polar Bear Cookbook

Thank you to everyone who submitted recipes for the Polar Bear Hockey Cookbook. The cookbooks are now available. The cost for the cookbooks are $10.00 so make sure to grab one for yourself and maybe one or two as a gift. They can be purchased at the Pat O'Donnel Civic Center concession stand or by contacting Kerry Roehm or Micki Sorensen.

 
 

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