You're not dreamin': Beaman Memorial Day festivities set for this weekend

The long, fun-filled summer Grundy County festival circuit will kick off this weekend as the small but mighty community of Beaman hosts its renowned Memorial Day celebration, complete with a heartfelt remembrance of the veterans who have died during armed conflicts and perhaps the most American tradition of all—a high school baseball tournament on Monday afternoon.
           
One of the new features of this year’s event will be a performance from Mike Anderson, aka “The Dulcimer Guy,” known for his old-time instrument and vast musical knowledge. On Saturday afternoon, he’ll treat guests to a host of tunes from the Civil War era along with a separate set earlier in the morning at the library.
           
The history of Beaman will be spotlighted during a showing of “Floyd’s Movies,” a collection of videos and photos by the late Floyd Ashton—including the great cooperative fire and RAGBRAI coming through town. All of his archives are now available on DVD thanks to a recent grant from the Grundy County Community Foundation.
           
“I don’t think the public has seen (Ashton’s videos) before,” organizer Brenda Heitmeyer said. “This is Beaman’s big thing.”
           
For Heitmeyer and fellow organizers Debbie Ashton and Sarah Dougherty, all of whom grew up in the Beaman-Conrad area, the Memorial Day festivities have always been an integral part of their lives.
           
“You don’t plan anything else on Memorial weekend,” Heitmeyer said. “We kind of play on Saturday and honor our veterans on Monday.” 
 
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