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Lehigh River Days ‘going retro’

-Messenger file
The group Ace of Friends play during Lehigh River Days in June 2019.

LEHIGH — On most days, Lehigh is just a sleepy little town of about 400 in the Des Moines River Valley. But this weekend, the town expects to more than double its population for a few days for the annual Lehigh River Days celebration.

“This year, we’re going kind of retro because it’s our 40-year anniversary,” said organizer Brett Smith.

The 2022 Lehigh River Days will run Friday through Sunday in various locations in the small Webster County town.

The celebration will kick off with the Little Miss and Mr. River Days on Friday evening, followed by a new favorite — glow-in-the-dark volleyball.

“Last year was our first year of glow-in-the-dark volleyball and it went pretty well,” Smith said.

-Messenger file photo
Children scramble to catch a handful of superballs tossed out during the annual Lehigh River Days Parade in June 2019.

Something old, yet also new, this year will be the log roll competition on the Des Moines River on Saturday afternoon.

“That’s something that hasn’t been there for a long time,” Smith said. “People enjoy watching that.”

Saturday will start with the Lehigh River Days Parade at 10 a.m., followed by activities and entertainment all day long.

New this year will be the Firefighter Olympics for kids.

“They’re going to let the kids kind of try to be a firefighter and do different things that firefighters have to do,” Smith explained.

-Messenger file photo
Ben Rentschler, of Callender, looks over some of the antiques available at the Lehigh River Days market in 2017.

Also new this year is the Lehigh Locker Cook-Off barbecue contest on Sunday morning. There will be judging in three categories: pork loin, chicken and sides. The competition is raising money for a Lehigh Memorial Veterans Park.

Lehigh River Days is something that Smith and the rest of the planning committee take great pride in.

“I think it’s a good tradition because it gets the community together and it’s a beautiful little town for people to come visit,” Smith said. “It’s a good time for everyone to get outside and enjoy the outdoors and do fun activities.”

Lehigh River Days schedule

Friday

5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. — Tad Harris serving food

5:30 p.m. — Little Miss and Mr. River Days

8 p.m. — Glow in the dark volleyball (registration begins at 7 p.m.)

Saturday

10 a.m. — Lehigh Parade

10 a.m. to noon — Toby Kid Balloon Twisting and Juggling

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Library Book Sale

11 a.m. to noon — Firefighter Olympics for kids

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Car Show on Main Street

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Lehigh River Days lunch at Senior Center

D.J. Dan plays ’50s, ’60s Rock-n-Roll

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. — BINGO at the Community Center

1 p.m. — School Hill Bike Climb

2 p.m. — Larry Dunbar, illusionist and magician

3 p.m. — Lehigh Locker tasting

3 p.m. — Log Roll across from Riverside Tavern

5 p.m. — Lehigh Fire Department pork loin supper at Communiy Center

7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — Free street dance downtown featuring Whisky Bizkits

Sunday

8 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Lehigh Locker Cook-Off on East Green

8 a.m. — Community church service at the Senior Center

9 a.m. — Lehigh Lions all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast at the Senior Center

10 a.m. — Library book sale

11 a.m. — River Days raffle drawing at the Senior Center

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