This year’s Ashmont Heritage Days celebration is taking place on Aug.13-14, and will once again include a parade, a trade show and market, along with an annual hamburger fry organized by the Ashmont Agricultural Society. Other fun includes bouncy houses, kids games, lawn tractor pulls, a beanbag tournament, and a kids’ rodeo.
New to the weekend will be a 4-on-4 basketball tournament put on by the County of St. Paul FCSS. Athletes will also be bale to participate in the always-popular two-day slo-pitch tournament throughout the weekend.
Ashmont Ag Society’s Adam Desmond took the lead on the organization of this year’s Heritage Days Celebration, and spearheaded the inclusion of some new events.
“New ideas are a big part of what keeps our little community tradition alive, among many other things. Generating new ideas that bring more people to this event can be difficult with limited resources, but the tradition of attending Ashmont Heritage Days keeps many returning each year,” says Desmond.
Community support is also important.
“Without that, there would be no event at all. Also right up there is the always growing need for volunteers, because without them there would be no one to run the events or take of care things during the days”
The new events for 2016 include the lawn tractor pulls, a car, truck, and farm machine show and shine, and hopefully some agricultural demonstrations by local dealerships, which Desmond says has not been officially confirmed, but is certainly in the plans.
Money raised at the weekend event goes toward the Ag Society, and helps host future events throughout the year, such as the harvest supper, and more.
Desmond says he is hopeful for the turnout to improve this year, along with the weather. The rain put a damper on the event, last year.
“I hope that the new events will keep the people around for longer and everyone enjoys themselves. This event is our biggest fundraiser of the year and helps to keep the Ag Society running,” says Desmond.
For more information on any of the events taking place over the weekend, contact Desmond at (780) 210-0509, or by [email protected].
For more information on the slo-pitch tournament or to register for the tournament, contact Danny Weinmeier at (780) 210-0563.
For information on the 4-on-4 basketball tournament, contact the County of St. Paul FCSS at (780) 645-1950 or find them on Facebook at County of St. Paul and Elk Point FCSS.
