Fire Rescue Days offers more this year

City hopes residents will take over festival

Elko New Market’s annual festival, Fire Rescue Days, is this evening, Thursday, June 27, through Sunday, June 30.

Elko New Market City Councilor Josh Berg said this year’s festival is the first year in a process to expand the festival. Berg was part of a group of residents working on the festival. He said they are trying to spin Fire Rescue Days off into its own group with residents organizing it. He noted over the last few years, the city has been mostly in charge of organizing the festival.

Berg said as part of the group’s work, it has expanded the amount of activities offered at Wagner Park, 121 Todd St. Inflatables will be back, plus pickleball and a ninja course, a fun course for children like the “American Ninja Warrior” TV program. People will also be bringing in antique cars.

Berg said among those involved have been Monica Engel with Scout Troop 325, Jodi Muelken, president of the Elko New Market Fire Department’s fire relief association, and the Elko New Market Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s been fun watching the evolution of it,” said Berg. The group wants to use it’s work as a spring board for Fire Rescue Days to become a community run event like other festivals, Berg said. He added the group hopes Fire Rescue Days could become a larger festival.

Schedule

Fire Rescue Days has listed many activities from June 27 to June 30. Events start this Thursday evening, June 27, 6 p.m. at Wagner Park with Magic Norm. Friday is the Lions Steak Fry at Firehouse Grille at 5 p.m. A few hours later, 8 p.m., the Doublewide welcomes Paradise City Wrestling’s seventh annual Under the Big Top, a triple threat ladder match, in the parking lot.

The majority of events are Saturday with the annual community parade at 11 a.m. The parade starts at Elko New Market City Hall, goes west on Main Street, turns south on Dakota Avenue, then east on Park Street, ending at Wagner Park. After the parade, there will be games, inflatables, food trucks, vendors and music at the park. The park will also be the site of a beer garden from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The activities at Wagner Park include a bouncy house, mini golf, a mechanical surf board and Ninja Anywhere. A kids pedal tractor pull will be held in Wagner Park’s parking lot. Music in the park includes performances by the Eddie Shimota Polka Band, 12:30- 2:30 p.m., and Self Titled Band, 2:30-6 p.m.

Saturday evening offers Elko Speedway’s Eve of Destruction and fireworks, starting at 4:30 p.m., plus the Doublewide will have will have live music at 8 p.m.

Sunday morning, Scout Troop 325 will have its pancake breakfast, sponsored by the NEW Lions Club, at Elko New Market Fire Hall, 8 a.m. to noon.