Stiftungsfest

150 years of bands, ball, beer & burgers.

Watch WCCO's Finding Minnesota segment on our great state's oldest celebration:

Hey, Dad! Representing Klein Bank

cAnDy!!!!

I think I like watching kids enjoy parades, more than I actually like watching the parade.

Does it get any more small town? Tractors pulling floats, not trucks. Duh.

Held in Willkommen Park in the center of town, it's Norwood Young America's little slice of Germany.

Stiftungsfest, meaning "Founders Day Celebreation" has been a part of my whole life. Organized and put on by the FDNYA each year, my Dad was always and still is very involved. Often times it landed on a weekend my Mom had to work, so we would spend all weekend while my Dad worked listening to bands from Germany and learning how to polka from the experts - the Germans, playing bingo, eating sauerkraut- sometimes with a brat, sometimes all by itself - and german potato salad, watching ball and meeting new friends.

A clip of the Minnesota State Fire Service Memorial Pipe Band, a familiar part of the festival:

And while it seems much smaller now, it brings back great memories. It doesn't get much more authentic - bands, beer, ball & brats. German heritage is alive and well here, not soon to be forgotten. Last night we went to the baseball fields near the edge of town, surrounded by corn fields, sat in the deserted dug out and watched as the fireworks wrapped up the celebration and weekend.