Willshire Days announces list of activities

Willshire Days information

WILLSHIRE — Plans are nearly completed for the 50th annual Willshire Days festival being sponsored by the Willshire Lions Club.

The festivities will be held today and Saturday, June 26-27, and will kick off on this evening. Following the flag raising ceremony, the entertainment stage will be filled with activity throughout the evening. The princess pageant will begin at 6 p.m., followed by music from the worship team of Praise Point Church.  Section Ate, a band comprised of local musicians, will be providing entertainment that features

music from the classic rock genre.

Activities on Saturday will begin bright and early. The Willshire Fire Department will be hosting a pancake, sausage, biscuit and gravy breakfast for all to enjoy. Garage sales, baseball games, and shopping at vendors and local businesses will continue throughout the day.

The activities in the park will begin in the afternoon, while the annual parade will begin at 4 p.m. Saturday.  Following the parade, the park will again be filled with many activities, including local musician John Brodbeck. Brodbeck has been singing and playing country music for the past several years and has become a local favorite. Willshire native Aaron Roehm will entertain the crowd with a magic show and later on, will make balloon sculptures for kids to enjoy.

Rounding out the evening’s entertainment will be the band Evolution, with Matt Motycka of Willshire. The band features the sounds of acoustic rock from the 1980s and ‘90s.

Free pony rides, sponsored by the Willshire Legion Post 207 and the Sons of the American Legion, will again be available Saturday evening. A kids’ tractor pull will also be held thanks to the Willshire Fire Department.

The park will have many activities going on Friday and Saturday late afternoon and evening. Those activities include inflatables (sponsored in part by the Willshire Sportman’s Club and Countryside Church of the Nazarene), carnival games, putt-putt golf, bingo and other activities.

Homemade soups, sandwiches, pies and cakes will once again be featured in the food stand. Elephant ears, funnel cakes, soft serve ice cream and many other delicious treats will also be available. Other events being planned for the weekend include communitywide garage sales and a craft and flea market. Willshire Youth Activities will sponsor a wooden bat Little League tournament to run throughout the weekend. Plan now to visit Willshire and enjoy a family friendly weekend.

Contact numbers for various activities are as follows:  Parade – Karen Hunziker (419.495.2802); Princess Pageant – Katie Schnitz (260.301.6232); garage sales – Town Office (419.495.2704); flea market/craft booths – Sharon Krall (419.495.2474); general information – Kendra Miller (419.495.2655).