Watermelon Days returns to Dike this weekend

DIKE- After the Watermelon Days festival in Dike was cancelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic last summer, the organizers worried that they may not have an event at all in 2021 due to a lack of volunteers. As usual, however, the community stepped up, and the show will go on as planned this weekend.

“I’m very excited to have it back this year. It’s a little bit of a different location, but I’m just excited to be able to have the community come out and be able to celebrate together,” committee member Val Bovy said. “It feels like it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to have a big community event.”

In contrast to past years, when most events were held downtown, the Dike Community Betterment Association (DCBA) plans to utilize the new Kruger-Hemmen sports complex. Beginning on Friday night, Lanny Fager and Becca Jorgensen will kick it off with a musical performance at the pickleball courts, and the moonlight movie, “The Karate Kid,” will be shown at the racquetball courts beginning at around 8:40 p.m. Incahoots will perform at Lynch’s Pub from 8:00 p.m. to midnight.

Saturday will have a bigger slate of events starting at 8:00 a.m. with the Phil Kruger 5k, the kickball tournament, the belt sander races and races and games for kids before the grand parade at 3:00 p.m. Afterward, the bags tournament will begin at Lynch’s at 4:00, and the famous watermelon feed will start at 6:00 p.m. at the sports complex. Rounding out the night are musical performances from Grundy County’s own Janey and the Growlerz from 6:00 to 9:30 at the sports complex and music from the D’z Guyz band from 8:00 to midnight at Lynch’s. The fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m.

In addition to the fun and festivities, a host of food vendors will be on hand to make sure no one leaves Watermelon Days hungry.

“I just think that one thing we try to do is a little bit of stuff for everyone. We’ve got a couple of things for older kids and then younger kids, and I think it will be appealing for all ages,” Bovy said. “It’s a nice big area, so we just hope people can come out after the parade… The weather looks really good, so we’re just really excited to end the summer on a good note before school starts.”