by Dennis Dalman
One of Sartell’s longest-running fun traditions, Sartell SummerFest, will take place once again on Friday, June 7 and Saturday, June 8.
The annual fun fest, including its grand parade, started in 1992 – 36 years ago.
“Libertyville,” a family fun event filled with kiddie activities will take place from 4-8 p.m. June 7 on the grounds of Sartell City Hall. There will be inflatables, face-painting and lots of other activities for children. The event has long been sponsored every summer by Liberty Bank – thus its name, Libertyville.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, June 8, the SummerFest Grand Parade will start near Watab Park on CR 1 (Riverside Drive). The parade will move north along Riverside to Seventh Street N., then turn left there for the couple of blocks that lead to Riverview Intermediate School. The parade will feature marching bands, decorated floats, contingents of the Sartell police and fire departments, and dignitaries waving to the people gathered along the streets.
A SummerFest Street Dance will take place in the parking lot of Sartell City Hall from 4-10 p.m on Saturday, June 8. Two musical acts will perform. The first is Sparky & Lee, with Leon Lauderbach (guitar, vocals) and Mark “Sparky” Anderson (harmonica, vocals). They’ll perform from 4-6 p.m.
The next band is “Radio Nation.” From 6:45-10 p.m. It will perform rock, pop and country hits from many decades from 6:45-10 p.m. Two of the members of that band are band directors in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District – Dave Lumley of the high school and Darrin Martinson of the middle school.
The winning team in “Makin’ Mirth Scavenger Hunt” will be announced during the street-dance event.
A fireworks display will happen right after the street dance.
Background
In 1982, Sartell celebrated its 75th anniversary, the Sartell Diamond Jubilee. Sartell resident Jack Paulsen was a co-chair of that event, and Tim O’Driscoll was a high-school senior at the time who was active in helping organize the city celebration. (O’Driscoll is now a representative in the State Legislature and has served multiple terms.)
Fast forward 10 years to 1992. They heard from so many Sartell residents about how fun the Diamond Jubilee had been and who thought the city should have another event like it. Paulsen and O’Driscoll, both members of the Sartell Lions Club, heartily agreed. They pitched the idea for a city celebration to their fellow Lions Club members, and they all agreed to sponsor a city festival starting in 1992. That was the first Sartell SummerFest, a three-day event. Throughout the years, it eventually became a two-day event, with variations from year to year. But the festival, despite changes, has always featured a big parade, family fun and activities, music, dancing and more recently fireworks every year.
Shoeless children stood in line to climb into a bouncy house at a family-fun event, which was part of the two-day Sartell SummerFest 2022 celebration. This year’s festival, June 7-8, will offer the same fun activities, including a parade, a dance, fireworks and more.
