Rain may have threatened to spoil the fun at St. Paul Park’s 2024 Heritage Days Festival on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 17, but the skies eventually cleared and the community celebration kicked off in style anyway. Boy Scouts, a marching band, gymnasts, fire/police, local leaders, and local business floats braved the early deluge in preparation for the 10:30 a.m. parade down Broadway Avenue and Summit Avenue to Heritage Park.
When the clock struck 10:30 a.m., organizers had to call a brief pause to the start of the parade, as two blocks ahead a notably long train was slowly making its way across the parade route at Broadway Avenue and Fifth Street. Despite a few minor setbacks, the show went on in style. Around 10:40 a.m., the road barricades at the head of the parade were moved to the side and the Boy Scout flag-bearers stepped the event off.
While roadside attendance initially appeared to be a bit shy of normal numbers at the start of the festivities, due to more than an hour of falling rain before the parade began, locals and visitors turned out in strong numbers as the day went on. The festival was advertised as a “rain or shine” event, and St. Paul Park and the Heritage Days organizers followed through on that promise. Families gathered with lawn chairs along the parade route, with kids gleefully scooping up handfuls of candy thrown by those on passing floats.
Those competing in the Mud Volleyball tournament, which took place on Broadway Avenue near the start of the parade route on Saturday didn’t seem to mind the weather at all. Already wet and covered in mud, the conditions appeared to merely add to the experience.
Awaiting at the parade’s ending point in Heritage Park were a fleet of various food trucks, a business/vendor tent expo, and a kid’s play area complete with a bounce house, slides and tractor/train rides. Starting at noon, the Car and Motorcycle Show rolled in on the south side of the park, with entrants putting their spectacular rides on display for the inspection and gawking of passersby.
Food fare included a unique assortment of options. Much standard fair food was available, such as cheese curds, French fries, hot dogs, and lemonade. Also offered were specialty items like egg rolls, artisan burgers, brats, fresh-made Booya, barbecue, and more.
The local Lions Club offered beverages and grilled food for hungry and thirsty festival attendees, and dozens of local businesses and organizations displayed their programs and wares in the parade, the food truck park, and in the business tent expo in Heritage Park. The people of St. Paul Park came together with pride and celebration of the community. A bit of rain was clearly not going to stop that.
