Barnum celebrates Spring Fever Days

The 37th annual Barnum Spring Fever Days was “a total hit,” according to Wayne Suronen, president of the Barnum Community Club.

“The Miss Barnum pageant was beautiful and well-attended,” he said, noting that they had a full house of supporters to watch the four candidates and their attendants vie for the crown. Allison Began is the new Miss Barnum and first runner-up is Eden Sebring (pictured). “The next night we sold out 300 steaks in two hours and 15 minutes at the annual steak fry — that might be a record. It was so nice, I think everyone decided to come out.”

The good weather continued Saturday, which was packed with events, starting with a pancake breakfast, a fishing contest and the 22nd annual car show at the fairgrounds, where photographer Ken Palmer had his Thunderbird.

The parade that day was the largest ever, in terms of floats, Suronen said.

Among the myriad parade entries were a nationally known Barney Fife impersonator, Larry Delawder (pictured) — Delawder also performed two harmonica concerts at Barnum United Methodist Church — and the Barnum High School Class of 1984, which scheduled its reunion to coincide with the annual event. Former boys basketball team members — who won the state basketball tournament in 1983 and were undefeated until the regional finals the following year — walked with the float.

“They are the one and only boys basketball state champions in Barnum,” Suronen said, explaining that Minnesota had only two classes for the state basketball competition then.

The kids’ games in the park drew many children that afternoon, as did the pie social at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. The Oval Races at the fairgrounds later on also saw a nice crowd.

The four-day event finished Sunday morning with a golf tournament at 29 Pines and the drawings for raffle winners (find results on their Facebook page).

The Barnum Community Club sponsors the annual event, which is always held the second weekend in June. Suronen said the club puts all the money it raises right back into the community.

“We donate all the money we make back into the community; most of it goes back into the school system,” he said, rattling off some of the grants they’ve made to help school organizations with costs, including robotics, track, math team, state golf and track and many more.

“Just about anyone who asks, we try to help,” he said. “We sent three kids to nationals for Business Professionals of America, and donated $2,000 toward the band and choir trip. And we help the community with things like the Blessings Bank at Christmastime.”