Chingawassa Days, 2006: Festival draws thousands for weekend event years ago
Sports reporter
The 10-year anniversary of Chingawassa Days came and went this past weekend with a barrage of success.
The festival included events from the first year in 1996, and some that were tried for this first time.
Co-committee chairman Mike Powers, who has been on the board all 10 years, thought the weekend went well.
"I can honestly say this is the first year I can think of where pretty much everything came off where it was supposed to," he said. "It wasn't perfect, but things kind of fell into place across the board."
After a torrential downpour for most of the weekend last year, the weather cooperated this time.
"It got a little scary Saturday afternoon," Powers said. "But once the sun came back out it was a nice, nice feeling."
Like last year, Chingawassa started off Thursday night with the Rhino Extreme Challenge. Six pairs of teams combined physical activity with eating for the right to earn cash prizes.
After a first round included swimming in Luta Creek, sliding down a water-soaked tarp, and downing a "wormburger," the contestants then competed Friday night in the finals. One partner swallowed six live minnows, while the other had to eat a "balut" or incubated chicken egg.
Before the Extreme Challenge, Marion National Bank kicked the night off with a barbecue, and St. Luke Hospital followed with an ice cream social.
The Robinson Chain Saw Artists showed off their work Friday as well, coming to the festival for the 10th straight year. But it was one of the first-time events Friday that was the main attraction.
Chingawassa Idol, a takeoff on the popular show, "American Idol," included nine contestants belting out tunes for cash prizes. It featured judges similar to the Fox show, but the winner was decided by 50 voters spread throughout the crowd.
Performances included songs by Barbra Streisand and Joan Jett, but it was Travis McDiffett of Aspen, Colo., who took home first prize with his rendition of Edwin McCain's "I'll be."
Co-chairman Jandee Moore thought the new contest was a success.
"There was some talent and the crowd was into it," she said. "It went great."
The band Second Nature concluded the evening on the main stage.
Saturday started off with Marion Kiwanis pancake feed and included a Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament, horseshoe tournament, 5K Rhino Run, and an anvil shoot by the Kansas Anvil Shooters.
Tampa State Bank had its annual "Bed Rock 'N' Run" bed race, and St. Luke Hospital gave away $500 to the winner of its Dinky Duck race.
One of the newer events, a rock-paper-scissors tournament, went over well with the crowd.
"We had more than 60 people," Moore said. "It went off perfect."
The rest of the afternoon included a dodge ball tournament, Central National Bank Watermelon feed and bingo, and two performances from the Callahan Band.
The Poker Run winners were announced shortly before a second anvil was shot skyward.
At 5 p.m. the park closed, and reopened at 5:45 for concert-goers interested in Second Nature again, and the main feature, The Guess Who.
"We were pleased with The Guess Who," Moore said. "They were very crowd friendly."
The band stayed around afterward to mingle with the crowd, and put the final stamp on a successful weekend.
Powers said the event wouldn't have happened without the help of the entire committee.
"It was good to get everyone together," he said of the 10-year reunion. "It really was a group effort."
Moore agreed.
"We really felt this was one of the best yet," she said.
