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This wall hanging made by Bev Hunstad will be raffled off during Quartziter Days in Jasper the weekend of July 14 to 16. Quartziter Days, the all school reunion, the 30th anniversary of the final class of graduates from Jasper High School and the city’s 135th anniversary are all featured on the wall hanging and will all be celebrated during the weekend. Contributed photo
Jasper’s Quartziter Days is coming up Friday, July 14 through Sunday, July 16 and the schedule shows a weekend full of activities. This year’s event includes an all school reunion, and marks the 30th anniversary of the last graduating class of Jasper High School and the city of Jasper’s 135th anniversary.
The festivities kick off Friday with the all school memorabilia room and Jasper Museum open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be a classic car cruise in on Wall Street, a community meal at Memorial Hall and music by Don McKenna and the Eclectic Americana Band, featuring alumni Mike Perrizo, all of which is organized by Reclaim Community.
A scavenger hunt will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and conclude Sunday. Quartziter Club President Lisa Petersen said the scavenger hunt is a new event for kids and adults and people are asked to sign up at Memorial Hall.
“It has a lot to do with the rock,” Petersen said. “Our town was founded on the rock.”
From 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. there will be karaoke in front of the Stonewall Bar & Grill. Petersen said that’s also new.
Saturday morning will be packed with activities including a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, coffee and juice, and a what not sale with quilts at the Jasper Evangelical Lutheran Church from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and a bloody Mary bar at the Stonewall Bar & Grill from 9 a.m. to noon. The all school memorabilia room and museum will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Little Scrapper Pedal Pull will be at 9 a.m., and the vendor fair at the Jasper City Park will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At 10 a.m. Saturday there will be turtle races and a kids bale toss at the City Park, and tours of the school, which Petersen said are popular during the all school reunions that are held every five years. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be an open house at the EMS building, fire truck rides and the Jasper Historical Society will be serving walking tacos, a drink and desserts at Memorial Hall.
From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. there will be activities in the park, including inflatables. A $5 wristband is required to use the inflatables with the proceeds going to support Quartziter Days. Concessions and pizza will be available at the park from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Then at 1:30 p.m. registration begins for the .5k run/walk at the school with the .5k beginning at 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. there will be water wars with area fire departments and the Shriners music group under the big tent west of Memorial Hall.
At 3 p.m. there will be more school tours. From 4 to 6 p.m. Peoples Bank will provide a free community hamburger meal and the Progress Study Club will provide ice cream sundaes for a free will donation at Memorial Hall. The donations will go toward a splash pad planned for the city.
The parade on Wall Street begins at 7 p.m. Petersen said those who want to have an entry in the parade should call her at 507-215-7705 to sign up. After the parade there will be an adult bale toss competition on Wall Street. There will then be a street dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., featuring the Undercover Band, and a mechanical bull on Wall Street.
The festivities wrap up Sunday with breakfast at Memorial Hall for a free will donation from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and a community church service at the City Park at 10 a.m., featuring alumni Jim Erickson. People are asked to bring lawn chairs. The service will be held at Memorial Hall in case of inclement weather. Petersen said there will be an offering during the service with the proceeds going toward perpetual care of the Veterans Servicemen’s Memorial at the cemetery and the memorabilia room.
After the church service there will be a potluck with BBQ and buns provided. There will be a free will donation during that meal with the funds going to support the Quartziter Club, which organizes Quartziter Days. At 12:30 there will be school tours again and the all school memorabilia room and museum will be open.
Petersen said there will also be a raffle for a Jasper-themed wall hanging made by Bev Hunstad with tickets sold on Friday and Saturday and a drawing at the dance Saturday night, and Jasper-themed coloring books for sale throughout the weekend.
Petersen said she expected many people to be in town for the weekend and that a good time will be had. She said more volunteers are always welcome to help with the busy weekend of events and that those interested can contact her at the number above.
