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Watercade returns with a flourish

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Boats wait near the shore for the start of the Watercade fishing contest Saturday morning.

Boats wait near the shore for the start of the Watercade fishing contest Saturday morning.

Kids build a sand castle
Watercade race
Watercade race
Watercade race
Watercade race
Watercade race
Watercade race
Ole Rogness of Litchfield keeps up a fast pace on the west side of Lake Ripley during the Watercade run Saturday morning. Rogness, 14, finished third overall with a time of 25:20.4. Ryan Adams of Hugo won the race with a time of 23:19, and Maggie Marx of South Haven was the top women’s finisher — and second overall — with a time of 25:04.1.

Ole Rogness of Litchfield keeps up a fast pace on the west side of Lake Ripley during the Watercade run Saturday morning. Rogness, 14, finished third overall with a time of 25:20.4. Ryan Adams of Hugo won the race with a time of 23:19, and Maggie Marx of South Haven was the top women’s finisher — and second overall — with a time of 25:04.1.STAFF PHOTOS BY BRENT SCHACHERER

The Litchfield Middle School marching band featured up-and-coming Marching Dragons during the Grande Day Parade Saturday evening.

The Litchfield Middle School marching band featured up-and-coming Marching Dragons during the Grande Day Parade Saturday evening.STAFF PHOTO BY BRENT SCHACHERER

Watercade race
Zurah Shriners entertained people along the parade route by zipping around the street in various formations.

Zurah Shriners entertained people along the parade route by zipping around the street in various formations.

Watercade race
Watercade fireworks
A clown shakes hands with a young parade-goer.

A clown shakes hands with a young parade-goer.

Watercade fireworks
Meeker County Sheriff’s Office deputies and reservists handed out information and chatted with parade-goers.

Meeker County Sheriff’s Office deputies and reservists handed out information and chatted with parade-goers.

Watercade fireworks
Watercade parade
Watercade fireworks
Watercade parade
Watercade fireworks
Watercade conga line
Watercade vendors
Watercade conga line

Watercade Princess Abby Johnson leads a conga line that includes the Miss Litchfield candidates during Friday night’s beach party.

Vendors did a brisk business throughout Saturday during Art in the Park.

Vendors did a brisk business throughout Saturday during Art in the Park.

Miss Litchfield Cecilia Toenjes dances with a young fan during the beach party.

Miss Litchfield Cecilia Toenjes dances with a young fan during the beach party.

The “oohs” and “ahhs” echoed throughout Memorial Park as a large crowd watched the Watercade fireworks show at Lake Ripley.

The “oohs” and “ahhs” echoed throughout Memorial Park as a large crowd watched the Watercade fireworks show at Lake Ripley.

Watercade beach
Watercade fireworks
Watercade fireworks
Watercade beach
Watercade beach
Watercade talent show
Watercade talent show
Watercade talent show
Watercade talent show
Watercade parade

Ecumen residents wave to Kiddie Parade participants as they moved through the driveway at the senior residence Saturday morning.

Watercade parade
Watercade princesses
Watercade beach
Watercade beach
Chris Woelfel, Ellie Wood, 13, and Gia Woelfel, 11, work on their sand sculpture masterpiece — boat adorned with a Dragon’s head — during the sand sculpture contest that preceded Friday’s beach party at Lake Ripley, The Woelfel-Wood team captured first place in their division.

Chris Woelfel, Ellie Wood, 13, and Gia Woelfel, 11, work on their sand sculpture masterpiece — boat adorned with a Dragon’s head — during the sand sculpture contest that preceded Friday’s beach party at Lake Ripley, The Woelfel-Wood team captured first place in their division.STAFF PHOTOS BY BRENT SCHACHERER

Watercade beach

Pent-up demand for community celebrations and gatherings of friends bloomed this past weekend as Litchfield celebrated Watercade.

Last year’s Watercade — like most community festivals around the state and nation — was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The one-year hiatus seemed to make folks hungry for fun, as people turned out in droves for Litchfield’s annual salute to friends, family and fun.

People mingled shoulder-to-shoulder and seemed relatively happy to wait in long lines at food vendor trailers during Friday night’s beach party and fireworks at Lake Ripley and Memorial Park. Watercade Board chairwoman Heather Winkelman called turnout for Friday’s festivities among the best — if not best — she could recall.

And the fun didn’t stop there, as Saturday brought a full day of fun, with everything from the four-mile run and fishing tournament in the morning, Art in the Park throughout the day at Central Park, and Grande Day Parade in the evening. Softball and tennis tournaments also ran throughout the day.

The festivities wrapped up with the crowning of a new Miss Litchfield — Claudia Toenjes — Sunday afternoon.

See more photos online at www.independentreview.net.

Copyright 2021 Litchfield Independent Review/Crow River Media/Media News Group.

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Watercade returns with a flourish