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Bands confirmed for Colfax Main Street Block Party Aug. 15

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — If you like street dances, the music lineup for the Colfax Founder’s Day Main Street Block Party on August 15 will have something for everyone.

Although the Colfax Commercial Club had planned to hold a Battle of the Bands event, only one band applied for the contest.

Scott Gunnufson, president of the Colfax Commercial Club, reports that members of various bands have said they would prefer to have a confirmed event with, say, a guaranteed fee of $500 rather than a chance at winning $2,500.

“So we decided to move ahead with Plan B,” Gunnufson said.

Block Party

For the Colfax Commercial Club, Plan B turned out to be hiring three bands for the Main Street Block Party.

Main Street will be detoured that day from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m. the following morning.

The featured bands on Main Street for the August 15 event will be The Top Notchmen polka band playing on Main Street from noon to 4 p.m.

A polka dance-off is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The Top Notchmen features Dave and Lois Melgaard of Chippewa Falls, and they play country classics, swing music and a variety of polka selections.

“Hickory” will play the next set from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Main Street.

Hickory is a “revival” band that was first formed in 1979 and features several of the original band members. The group plays a wide variety of music, older and contemporary, country and rock.

Hickory includes Craig Peterson on guitar; Jeff DeMoe on drums; Keith Luer on guitar and Mike Shepherd on base. Angie Anderson plays the keyboard and adds a strong, vibrant voice to the band’s selections.

Hickory played to a packed crowd in Tower Park for the opening concert in the Colfax Woman’s Club Music in the Park series June 18 and also played to a sizable crowd at the Colfax Free Fair.

The band “Stimulus Package” from the Twin Cities will play from 8 p.m. until midnight.

According to the band’s website, “no genre is off limits from classic rock to rockin’ country and everything in between.”

Stimulus Package plays a wide variety of venues, including casinos, weddings and community events.

The band’s extensive playlist includes “All About That Bass,” “Brick in the Wall,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Fishing in the Dark,” “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” “Keep Your Hands to Yourself,” “Let it Go,” “Never Been Any Reason,” and “Proud Mary.”

Food and beverages

Colfax Lutheran is planning a pancake breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. August 15.

The Colfax Lutheran Youth Group is planning to sell soda pop and water, pie and ice cream and root beer floats from noon until 4 p.m.

Other food vendors will include Chris Olson with funnel cakes and popcorn.

The Colfax Kiwanis Club will be serving a charcoal chicken dinner from noon until 3 p.m.

A beer garden set up on Main Street sponsored by the Colfax Commercial Club will serve beverages in the afternoon until the bands are done playing.

A Little Slice of Italy and the Buck Snort Bar and Grill are planning to set up as sidewalk vendors in the evening.

Events

The Colfax Railroad Museum will be open for tours from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. that day.

A craft show is planned for River Street from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

A car show also is planned for Main Street

Other groups are planning events for downtown Colfax that day as well.

Colfax Health and Rehabilitation Center is planning a pig roast August 14.

“Jim Herrick and Friends” will start the weekend’s events at Music in the Park on August 13, along with the annual pie sale sponsored by the Colfax Municipal Building Restoration Group.