Support the Timberjay by making a donation.

Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Harbor Festival kicks off busy summer season

Jodi Summit
Posted 6/2/14

TOWER- The summer festival season gets an early kick-off in Tower, the first weekend in June as the Lake Vermilion Harbor Festival moves into Tower’s Civic Center and Depot area on June 7 and 8. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Harbor Festival kicks off busy summer season

Posted

TOWER- The summer festival season gets an early kick-off in Tower, the first weekend in June as the Lake Vermilion Harbor Festival moves into Tower’s Civic Center and Depot area on June 7 and 8. Festival hours are Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is free.

So if you have a hankering for kettle corn, egg rolls, gyros, fry bread or mini-donuts, head over to Tower for a weekend of fun. There will be about 100 vendors both inside the Tower Civic Center and outdoors on the grounds around the civic center and train Depot.

New this year will be an evening dance featuring “Mesh,” playing Saturday night from 9 p.m. – 12 midnight.

There will be helicopter rides offered both days, weather permitting.

Live music is featured both days, including local favorites Cowboy Angel Blue and Ron E. Cash.

Good Ol’ Days in Tower will be setting up their beer tent, as well as selling food. There will be a Voyageur Encampment at the adjacent Mini-Park.

Crafters will be set up inside the Tower Civic Center as well as in outdoor booths. Quite a few new vendors will be joining the old favorites this year, Hujanen said.

Soudan Baptist Church will host an outdoor church service on Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. and featuring live music.

There will be magic shows both days and the magician will be giving away balloon toys before and after the shows, Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Demonstrations will include chainsaw carving and rag rug weaving. RVs, boats, and new cars will also be on display.

The Tower Fourth of July Committee will have a booth at the festival this year, to help raise funds for this year’s celebration.

Festival organizer Christina Hujanen said the two-day event is a chance to bring people into Tower and see the work being done on the city’s harbor project. The city is currently restoring its historic harbor, which connected downtown Tower to Lake Vermilion via the East Two River. Work on the actual harbor begins this summer. Once the multi-year project is completed, boat traffic from Lake Vermilion will be able to travel and dock within easy walking distance of Tower businesses.

“We are working to make Tower a tourist destination,” said Hujanen. “As the harbor project is completed, the festival will keep on growing.”

While at the festival, everyone is invited to tour the Tower-Soudan Historical Society’s Depot Museum and restored Coach 81 car. The Depot is also adjacent to the city’s mini-park, with a picnic shelter and playground area.

The festival is sponsored with help from the Lake Vermilion Area Chamber of Commerce, The Timberjay Newspaper, Frandsen Bank of Tower, Lake Vermilion Resort Association, and Lake Country Power’s Operation Roundup program.

A few vendor spaces are still available. For more information, contact Christina Hujanen at 218-780-4645 or email rangecities@yahoo.com.