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Decades of Watercade

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New Miss Litchfield 1981, Connie Nelson.

New Miss Litchfield 1981, Connie Nelson.

Andrea Harmon, second runner-up in contest, she's pictured during the evening gown contest.

Andrea Harmon, second runner-up in contest, she's pictured during the evening gown contest.

New Queen — Linda Gerrish, Miss Litchfield of 1966 receives the “Miss Congeniality” trophy from outgoing queen Suzanne Johnson during the Watercade Queen Coronation pageant here Saturday evening. Linda also won first place in the swim suit and event gown categories in competition during the pageant. Seven girls took part in the contest. Paula Hayden and Andrea Harmon were selected as attendants to the queen.

New Queen — Linda Gerrish, Miss Litchfield of 1966 receives the “Miss Congeniality” trophy from outgoing queen Suzanne Johnson during the Watercade Queen Coronation pageant here Saturday evening. Linda also won first place in the swim suit and event gown categories in competition during the pageant. Seven girls took part in the contest. Paula Hayden and Andrea Harmon were selected as attendants to the queen.

The new queen — Selected as Litchfield’s 1976 Watercade queen during the pageant Sunday night at the Civic Arena was Janelle Urdahl, daughter of the Dick Urdahl’s of rural Litchfield. Janelle also took first place in the evening gown competition. She’ll represent Litchfield at various celebration through the year and will be participating in the 1977 Minneapolis Aquatennial. Lori Goemer and Ann Hulterstrum were named as princesses.

The new queen — Selected as Litchfield’s 1976 Watercade queen during the pageant Sunday night at the Civic Arena was Janelle Urdahl, daughter of the Dick Urdahl’s of rural Litchfield. Janelle also took first place in the evening gown competition. She’ll represent Litchfield at various celebration through the year and will be participating in the 1977 Minneapolis Aquatennial. Lori Goemer and Ann Hulterstrum were named as princesses.

Barbara Kern, center gasps in surprise as she is picked queen of the Jaycee sponsored “Watercade” at Lake Ripley on July 4. Flanking Barbara are the other queen candidates. Contest judges were Rev. Frost of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Dean Nolt of radio station KDUZ in Hutchinson, and Jim Loehr of the local Jaycees. Barbara, 21, is daughter of Mrs. Alice Kern of Litchfield. She is an elementary school teacher and will teach in school district 34 in the fall.

Barbara Kern, center gasps in surprise as she is picked queen of the Jaycee sponsored “Watercade” at Lake Ripley on July 4. Flanking Barbara are the other queen candidates. Contest judges were Rev. Frost of the Trinity Episcopal Church, Dean Nolt of radio station KDUZ in Hutchinson, and Jim Loehr of the local Jaycees. Barbara, 21, is daughter of Mrs. Alice Kern of Litchfield. She is an elementary school teacher and will teach in school district 34 in the fall.

Among the many visiting royalty to appear in the Sunday Watercade parade were the Augustfest queen and princesses from neighboring Grove City. Augustfest royalty includes Queen Heather Dixon, Princesses Nicole Laidlaw and Shannon Anderson, and Junior Royalty Kenn Houk and Ashley Grubbs. They waved to the crowd as they moved along the parade route.

Among the many visiting royalty to appear in the Sunday Watercade parade were the Augustfest queen and princesses from neighboring Grove City. Augustfest royalty includes Queen Heather Dixon, Princesses Nicole Laidlaw and Shannon Anderson, and Junior Royalty Kenn Houk and Ashley Grubbs. They waved to the crowd as they moved along the parade route.

Colorguard, Major Don Fitter, lead LHS Marching Band. Dragon Band voted as “Best” in annual Watercade parade in 1966.

Colorguard, Major Don Fitter, lead LHS Marching Band. Dragon Band voted as “Best” in annual Watercade parade in 1966.

Brian Anderson relaxes after parade. Temperatures reached 97 Sunday afternoon.

Brian Anderson relaxes after parade. Temperatures reached 97 Sunday afternoon.Jaycee’s Watercade a big success

Always a crowd pleaser was the Dassel-Cokato high school Charger band, directed by a Litchfield Native, Carlton Lindwall. They’re pictured as they move along south Sibley Avenue during the Sunday afternoon Watercade parade. That’s drum majorette Michelle Nelson out front leading the marching unit.

Always a crowd pleaser was the Dassel-Cokato high school Charger band, directed by a Litchfield Native, Carlton Lindwall. They’re pictured as they move along south Sibley Avenue during the Sunday afternoon Watercade parade. That’s drum majorette Michelle Nelson out front leading the marching unit.

New Royalty — Litchfield’s 1977 Watercade royalty were pictured on stage with Commodore Bob Weida as the Watercade queen pageant concluded Sunday night. Lori Goemer, left, and Ann Hulterstrum, right, were named as Watercade princesses while Janelle Urdahl, center, was the new queen.

New Royalty — Litchfield’s 1977 Watercade royalty were pictured on stage with Commodore Bob Weida as the Watercade queen pageant concluded Sunday night. Lori Goemer, left, and Ann Hulterstrum, right, were named as Watercade princesses while Janelle Urdahl, center, was the new queen.

 

Litchfield is gearing up to celebrate its 63rd annual Watercade, coinciding with the city’s 150th anniversary. While Watercade is synonymous with Litchfield now, what started the decades-long tradition began with a civic group — the Jaycees, or the Litchfield chapter of the United States Junior Chamber.

Watercade began in 1956 as a Jaycee-sponsored, one-day event scheduled during the the Fourth of July. The community celebration, named “Water-cades” as stated in the 1957 Independent Review, hosted boat races, a water show and fireworks. However, the Jaycees had to cancel the boating events due to high winds that year.

Despite this setback, Watercade received much fanfare and a large attendance, more than 100 people around the shores of Lake Ripley. The Jaycees had a grand prize drawing for a motorboat, which went to Gerard Stewart. The Miss Litchfield contest originally was called the “Watercade Queen.” Barabara Kern, 21 at the time, took home the 1957 Watercade Queen title.

Flash forward a decade to 1966, the Jaycee’s added an annual Watercade parade to the register of events as the popularity of Watercade began to grow. The Litchfield Marching Dragons were voted “Best Band” in the parade, however, the home band could not win the trophy, so it went to the Dasse-Cokato High School Chargers Band. By this point, the Jaycees had moved the annual Watercade celebration from the Fourth of July to the second weekend in July.

By 1976 the title of Watercade Queen changed to “Miss Litchfield.” Watercade began to span Friday through Sunday instead of just a one-day event, encompassing a volleyball tourney, kiddie parade, fireworks show and the crowning of Miss Litchfield. The Jaycees still sponsored Watercade after 20 years of putting on the event.

During the 30th anniversary of Watercade, the event spanned through four days, Thursday to Sunday, and encompassed a carnival, parade, water show, art in the park, fireworks, a kiddie parade and more. The parade featured 14-area marching bands and had moved from the second weekend in July to the second weekend in June. Seven women competed for the title of Miss Litchfield in 1986. The Jaycees no longer sponsored the event, but a Watercade Board was founded to take on the task a few years earlier.

From 1996 onward, Watercade moved back to the second weekend in July and has seen some of the same events with a few tweaks. The popular street dance event was added along with the brat feed and several others. As time goes on, anyone who attends the event understands that Watercade is quintessentially Litchfield.

Copyright 2019 Litchfield Independent Review/Crow River Media/Media News Group

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