Captain's Log 6/22-29

Greetings from the road....and I do mean the road. 800 miles in the last week as I was off to Granite Falls, Melrose, Sauk Rapids and Willmar. The good thing is gas was only $3.96 per gallon.

Cough, cough. Anyone hear crickets? I think a moth just flew out of my wallet.

Anyway, let's start in Granite Falls where last Saturday (the 21st) Princess Jenna and I attended Western Fest. Western Fest was a day long festival for us (the whole weekend for Granite Falls) and is highlighted by one of the bigger rodeo stops in the state.

Quick story...one of the people I work with at WCCO is the legendary Charlie Boone who was Aquatennial Commodore in 1996. Charlie is still an avid Aquatennial supporter and he used to host the Granite Falls coronations in the 1970's (plus his wife is a Granite Falls native). As I'm driving to Granite Falls, I turn on Charlie's Saturday morning show on 'CCO and who does he have on? Granite Falls native and the 2000 Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes, Emily Aus! Perfect....thanks Charlie! Great plug for the weekend.

In Granite Falls, Jenna and I with the outgoing Ambassadors from Clara City
(we'll both be there on July 12th for Prairie City Days)

Jenna and I hit town in the morning for the Queen's brunch before the parade and coronation. Granite Falls is a beautiful town on the Minnesota River and it's been a few years since I had been there. Terrific people and we had a terrific time.

Jenna and I before the Granite Falls Parade

Granite Falls has produced a few Aquatennial Ambassadors over the years....in addition to Emily Aus in 2000, they had the 1958 "Minnesota Centennial" Queen of the Lakes plus princesses in back to back years (1966 and 1967) plus a Princess in 1985, Brenda Schuler Beam. Brenda happened to be in Granite Falls last weekend and joined Jenna and I for coronation.

New Royalty from Granite Falls

Wednesday, it was Princess Jenna and I again heading to a coronation, this time in Melrose which is about a half-hour past St. Cloud on I94. Melrose is a special stop for us this year because the co-MC of this year's coronation was the former Miss Melrose and the 1997 Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes, Christine Scherping.

Jenna and I with Christine (in the middle with black dress)
and her Mom...she just looks like a Queen!

Christine is on the Aquatennial Board and is the person responsible for getting the Aquatennial "crowns" their proper gowns, dresses and all that stuff they need to make these appearances throughout the year. She's one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet in your life and is a tremendous asset to Aquatennial. It's great when a person like that decides to stay involved after their reign.

Thursday, Princess Tzvet and I were off to Sauk Rapids for Rapids River Days. Sauk Rapids is a town just slightly past St. Cloud on Hwy. 10 and besides the coronation which we attended, they have a parade and "Foodfest" all day Saturday. Unfortunately, we are missing Foodfest. I guess you can't have it all. Oh well. The pork chop on a stick will have to wait.

On a sadder note, (and I don't mean to be a downer but this is a story that illustrates how sometimes these "Ambassador Programs" can really become important in people's lives) the outgoing Queen in Sauk Rapids had a very difficult year.

The Sauk Rapids Mayor told us this story and it came up in her farewell speech and I just want to paraphrase what happened. Just before she was crowned last year (I believe...this is from memory and it could have been after coronation), she suddenly lost her father to cancer. Obviously a tragic circumstance for a young girl around 18 years old but when you're about to become the busiest you've ever been and supposed to represent your community for the next year, it's extremely difficult. Who do you turn to?

In her farewell speech, she broke down for obvious reasons while talking about her Mom but what struck me was what she said next. The two Princesses she reigned with had talked about the family atmosphere that their group had become but what the Queen said was that the Princesses Dad's had basically taken her in and in the last year, didn't replace her late father but become father figures. It was heartbreaking while still being uplifting. In a situation where I think a lot of people would resign from being an Ambassador and deal just with family issues, they took it in another direction and made a new family out of it. We all need help and sometimes in the worst of times, you find that life takes you in a whole different direction. Really a great thing to witness.

New Sauk Rapids Royalty...that's Tzvet on the Right

We were joined in Sauk Rapids by the Anoka Royal Ambassadors and the newly crowned Royalty from Cambridge (which we attended a couple of weeks ago). Anoka and Cambridge are two fantastic groups and are very close with Aquatennial. We're always glad when we can attend festivals with them. The Anoka Halloween parades and coronation really are highlights on the schedule for us each year.

Speaking of highlights on the schedule, this past weekend (Friday through Sunday) was Willmar Fests. Princess Jenna and I spent the whole weekend in Willmar which is one of the biggest festivals in the state and certainly one of the most successful. We were joined by royalty from Anoka and Cambride (their first ever trips to Willmar Fests which was great) plus the South Dakota Snow Queen Festival and Montevideo Fiesta. A great group of people and we had a really fun weekend with them.

Jenna with new Montevideo Royalty and the
South Dakota Snow Queen in Willmar

Friday night was the International Banquet. Willmar has three Ambassadors representing the different Willmar Festivals (they used to be seperated...now they've combined them, hence Willmar Fests....plural). They have and International Queen representing the diversity of the city, the Aqua Queen representing the lakes and watersports of the city and surrounding areas of Kandiyohi County plus the Queen of Festivals who reigns over the whole works.

At the banquet, we had dinner, did some introductions and said a few words to the group and then enjoyed some music and dancing the rest of the night. Although one thing that Jenna and I can definitely agree on....dancing is not in our repertoire. I'll watch thank you very much.

Saturday we started with the Queen's Brunch which was followed by the parade. Let's just say Saturday was not the nicest day of the summer. I think it was maybe in the upper 50's and windy. And looking like rain. Then it rained. And rained. Then REALLY rained. Then rained. Another beautiful October day in the Pacific Northwest.

Luckily for us, Jenna and I were in the earlier part of the parade and were done when it started raining. Can't say that for everyone else although we have to give credit to everyone in the parade and everyone watching who gutted it out and got it all in. Then we jumped on the bus with the heat at full blast to warm up. I'm not kidding. We were frozen.

Following the parade, it was time for coronation. One of the things I do before coronations is go back through the Aquatennial alumni list to see if that community has sent anyone to Aquatennial that has become a Queen of the Lakes or Princess. I knew Willmar had done well in the past (a former Miss Willmar and Queen of the Lakes, Lisa Carlson is now on the Aquatennial board) but I have to say, they've done phenomenally at Aquatennial which is really a credit to their community and festival.

Outgoing Willmar Royalty...L-R;
Queen of Festivals Shelby Warner (coming to Aquatennial as a candidate in July),
Aqua Princess Brittney Holtberg, Princess Jenna and Aqua Princess Sara Oestreich

In 69 years of Aquatennial, Willmar has had 12 Queens or Princesses.....think about how many communities and festivals send candidates every year and to have a full dozen representatives is really outstanding. Not only have they done well recently but they had the 1959 Queen of the Lakes. Aquatennial and Willmar have really had a long and successful relationship and it was great to be there and be a part of it.

Another quick story....we gave a Commodore Award to Deb Zinda-Hanson who has been a volunteer for Willmar Fest for many years and was very deserving. It was another reminder for us how much these things mean to people. We surprised Deb with during the coronation and when she came out, she was wiping tears and gave us hugs and was absolutely grateful. Sometimes we do so many of these that we forget what it means to the community we are in. It was nice to see that what we do matters to people and made Jenna and I really proud to be representing Aquatennial.

New Willmar Royalty...L-R:
Princess Jenna, International Princess Laura Virgen,
Queen of Festivals Jenna Savoie,
Aqua Princess Kelsey Swanson and Me

Following the coronation, we were supposed to head to a beach party for a Ski Show (Willmar has one of the nations best ski teams....I'm not kidding, they've been national champs....check it out) and fireworks on Robbins Island on Foot Lake. Well, as I mentioned earlier, it was great weather if you're a duck heading south for the winter but not so good for a ski show or fireworks. Plan B.

The folks from Willmar moved us inside to a Bowling Ally/Banquet center with some quick thinking. We ended up bowling a few games (I had a 163! I rule!) and then spending the evening with a live band they brought in. Not a bad Plan B.

The bowling was really a blast...lots of laughs and bonding with all the different groups not to mention my 163. Did I tell you I had a 163? Yeah, that's right. 163. Although, Patti, who was one of the judges who said she NEVER bowls did get a spare at one point and she proudly announced to us all that since she picked up a spare, she wins. We agreed.

Jenna Picks up a Spare of her own...

Finally on Sunday, it was time for breakfast with the group, a gift exchange, lots of thank yous and goodbyes before heading for home. Another really fun festival and a great weekend. Jenna and I really had a blast. The one thing about Jenna that is great is she is always having fun. It's infectious and I always really enjoy my time with her. Aquatennial couldn't have done a better job picking royalty then they did last July....all three are just fantastic. I'm really going to miss them when they give up their crowns at Aquatennial.

Princess Jenna in full-blown Bowling mode!

That's it for now...this week is 4th of July week and we have a bunch of things going on again. I'm in Coon Rapids Thursday night for the Lions Club Parade with Tzvet, Annandale 4th of July all day on Friday with Queen of the Lakes Charissa and in Starbuck for Heritage Days all day Sunday with Jenna. Should all be fun!

Who wouldn't have fun with us?

Don't forget to check out the Aquatennial Website for a list of events and get tickets for coronation. We want you there with us! The MC's this year are 1994 Queen of the Lakes Sara Borg Holje and my friend and WCCO employee, Tim Russell (Tim is absolutely the funniest, most engaging person I've met in radio...you'll love him!).

Here're the other appearances this week and we look forward to seeing you around! Have a safe 4th of July and we're now less than three weeks (THREE WEEKS!!!!!!!!) until Aquatennial.

Make sure you check out and support your local events:

Wednesday and Thursday, July 2nd and 3rd- Eagan Funfest

Thursday, July 3rd- Delano 4th of July Banquet ant Coronation

- Coon Rapids Lions Club Parade

Friday, July 4th- Delano 4th of July Celebration
- Richfield Hometown 4th of July Celebration
- Annandale 4th of July Parade and Coronation

Sunday, July 6th- Richfield Hometown Coronation and Dance
- Starbuck Heritage Days

Wednesday, July 9th- Lakeville Panorama of Progress Coronation
- Isanti Rodeo Jubilee Days Parade
- White Beark AV Tea, Parade and After Party

Thursday, July 10th- Pierrre Bottineau Days Parade in Maple Grove

Friday, July 11th- Maple Grove Days Dinner, Coronation and Gala

Lindsey Peterson
2008 Captain
Minneapolis Aquatennial