Suring Labor Day weekend events listed

Labor Day weekend has belonged to the Village of Suring for 90 years, and pandemic or not, the community’s annual celebration will proceed as usual.

Well, not quite as usual — the challenging run up Suring hill is postponed this year, as are the chili cook-off, kids’ water fights, chalk art and the high school reunion banquet.

But most of the essentials are still in place for the four-day festival Sept. 4-7, including truck and tractor pulls, the Sunday night fireworks display and Monday’s big Labor Day parade.

As usual, it actually starts Thursday, Sept. 3, with the Friends of the Suring Area Public Library “Twice Sold Tales” book sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 3-5 at the Village Municipal Building Learning Center, 604 Main St., Suring. On the last day of the sale, $2 bag sales will be held all day Saturday. All proceeds from the book sale will be used for programs and purchases for the library.

A 4x4 truck pull sanctioned by NEW Motorsports is the highlight beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at Veterans Memorial Park, where most of the weekend’s activities are centered. The Suring Area Historical Society plans a brat fry at Art & Jean’s Corner Store from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chicken booyah to go will be available at the American Legion Hall starting at 5 p.m. Friday and continuing through Monday, or while supplies last. The food stand at Memorial Park also opens at 5 p.m. Friday.

Saturday’s highlights include tractor pulls all day, with weigh-ins starting at 7:30 a.m. and the competition getting started at 10 a.m. The evening grandstand event is the Farm Tractor & NEW Hot Farm Classics Tractor Pull starting at 7 p.m. Craft and rummage sales along Ehlinger Street begin at 8 a.m., and the Suring Area Historical Society Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Sunday, a demolition derby is scheduled at noon, and the annual Senior Citizen/Grand Marshall Award Ceremony is planned at 7 p.m. at the bandstand, honoring Phil and Elaine Fischer, of Suring. The day’s festivities are capped by fireworks at 9 p.m., “rain or shine.”

The annual Suring Lions Club parade is scheduled at 10 a.m., with lineup near the school for the trek down Main Street. One concession to COVID-19 concerns is that the club asks that candy be handed out by gloved volunteers rather than tossed from floats.

Music is also part of the mix all weekend, with all but one performer set up at the beer stand. Positive Energy DJ/Karaoke is scheduled starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Northern Select DJ at 8 p.m. Saturday, and the John Marsh Band 1-5 p.m. Sunday. The Tucker Band is scheduled 6-10 p.m. Sunday at the band stand.