Lamar Days, 2019 – A Crowd Pleasing Event

Barbara Crimond | May 20, 2019 | Comments 0

Bird’s Eye View of Willow Creek Park

You couldn’t buy a better day for this past Saturday’s Lamar Chamber of Commerce, 2019 Lamar Days Event on May 18^th. The day brought mild temperatures, sunny skies and a spring breeze that wasn’t trying to pass itself off as a hurricane. This year’s theme, “Springing the Community Together”, turned out to be a fitting selection.

Friday Chamber BBQ

The Chamber Board was kept busy the Friday beforehand for the downtown BBQ held at the Chamber parking lot. Your $5 ticket bought a BBQ’d burger, chips and water while volunteers from HPCHC provided cups of mixed fruit and a salad. The Chamber drawing for Luv Bucks, sponsored by People’s Credit Union had first place winner, Stephanie Strube wnning $100 and $50 went to Connie Medina for second place. A new feature this year, a Scavenger Hunt, was well represented with several dozen stores contributing prizes. Winners were: 1st Place was Sarah Jaime for a prize package of choice and 2nd Place was Shae Emick for a prize package of choice

Welcome Center Honored

With the majority of the road construction finalized along Highway 287 through downtown Lamar, CDOT gave the city permission to hold the traditional parade along Main Street after a three year hiatus. Over a dozen city and county vehicles led the pack this past Saturday along with Doug and Linda Harbour as parade royalty and Virginia Donnel and Dottie Russell as Colorado Welcome Center honorees.

Young and old lined streets up to the parade turn-off onto East Cedar Street where the route led to the Lamar Municipal Swimming Pool and the car-packed roadway that circled Willow Creek Park, home of the Car Show/Rod Run, the Rotary Ducky Dash and host of vendors, old and new that lined the shaded path past the new pavilions by the skateboard park and up to Pike’s Tower.

Judi on the Move

First place parade winner this year went to the band Judi with Sand and Sage Royalty at second and the Lamar Public Library placed third.

Release the Fowl!!

The Lamar Rotarians decided to go with a different water route for their annual fund-raising Ducky Dash, this time, along the creek through the park. The water was blocked and allowed to backfill to allow enough of a stream to float hundreds of ducks to their final destination north of the bridge where the first ducks past the finish line would be plucked from the stream to decide this year’s winners.

Ducks are On Their Way

“We were out here last night with about 400 ducks in a test run,” explained Prowers County Commissioner, Ron Cook, “and we had no problems. We thought we’d have to pump in extra water, but what we had from the stream was sufficient,” he stated. The Rotarians had some help from a number of Lamar Middle Schoolers for the fund-raiser which contributes to the Prowers Area Imagination Library, 3^rd Grader’s Dictionary Donation and Kid’s Christmas.

Aaron Leiker, Ready to Make a Grab

This year’s winners were: 1^st place-The Home Store, 2^nd place-Chris Wilkinson and 3^rd place finishers: JoAnn McEndree, SECCI, Rupp’s Auto, Elmer Grett and The Home Store.

Cook said his Friday Night, No-Booze Cruise with the Cops was the best gathering so far. “We had about 110 vehicles…around 50 bikes and 60 cars and it was a great night for the run. It got a little windy, but compared to other years when we some wet and cold runs, it turned out great.” A portion of the proceeds from the run are donated to the Lamar Fire Department to help fund the annual 4^th of July Fireworks display.

Just A Great Day

While attendees visited the vendors, others went in search of a meal from the BBQ wagons lining the Creek or viewed the collection of classic cars for this year’s event, others just found a shady spot and a picnic and visited with friends and neighbors.