New leadership needed for the Railroad Festival
Organizers of the Dennison Railroad Festival are saying the 40th anniversary may be the last unless some new leaders step up.
Organizers of the Dennison Railroad Festival are saying the 40th anniversary may be the last unless some new leaders step up.
“This group [of current board members] has made a decision that this is our final year,” said Greg DiDonato, who has served as the board president for the past 15 years. “It used to be that we rotated and you had different people for the first 20-25 years. Then after that everybody just kept sticking it out. We have a few members in their 70s, and we are getting haunted by health issues. Secondly it’s not as fun for some of us when we have not been able to find replacements and people have passed away. I’m doing six or seven things, and it’s not enjoyable anymore for me when I have to do all those things.”
The festival committee doesn’t need volunteers. “We are looking for leaders. We need people willing to take charge of things,” DiDonato said. “You hear people say all the time they want to live in a community that has functions and activities. Times have changed within society. I don’t think a lot of people are translating that if everybody stays within their houses and never steps out to help, how can you have a vibrant community?”
The committee decided to end the festival at 40 years. “I felt we did it the right way,” DiDonato said. “We could have pulled the plug, walked away and let it collapse. Right now we still have rides, and we still have vendors. We have everything in place if someone wants to take it up. We just need people willing to take their turn.”
DiDonato said he is proud of the accomplishments the festival organization has made to improve Dennison and keep it looking nice. “We are an all-volunteer organization and have been all 40 years. Because of that, over $1 million has been kicked back to the community to do all kinds of improvements, starting with saving the Dennison Depot.”
Other improvements the group has made include building a gazebo, adding a parking lot, purchasing the decorative archways and purchasing flowers for the downtown and depot area each year. They installed a new sound system for Grant Street, which also is used for the Polar Express. This year they converted all the lamp posts at the depot, parking lot and gazebo to LED.
The festival committee through the years has accumulated a lot of assets and properties. “We now have one up for sale and are getting ready to put another up for sale, but whatever excess money we have, we plan to create a community foundation here in town,” DiDonato said. “If there is a new festival group, we are going to give them enough pocket money to start. The rest will go to start a community foundation. So we are kind of excited. In one sense we look at that as a permanent legacy.”
The foundation would focus on supporting parks, museums and things for the community.
“I’m not going to walk away. I just don’t want to be president anymore,” DiDonato said. “I would be willing to do an event or function, and there may be one or two others who continue to do something in a smaller capacity too.”
The group has a database containing the letters, flyers, important phone numbers and checklists essential to running a successful festival. “No one has to reinvent the wheel,” DiDonato said.
The festival committee plans to hold a meeting sometime in August to meet with anyone interested in taking over the festival.
Despite the uncertainty, the festival will run as normal this year with all the rides, food and entertainment.
The midway will open Wednesday through Friday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Rides will be provided by McGinnis Amusements. On Saturday the parade lineup will begin at 4 p.m. Participants should check in at Dennison Stadium at the intersection of Hanna Street and North Street. The parade will be held rain or shine.
The schedule of events for Wednesday, May 29 is the Kick-N-Click Cloggers at Gazebo Stage on Grant Street at 6 p.m.
The schedule for Thursday, May 30 is music by MDU Band at Railroad Car Stage at 6 p.m., music by Request DJ Service at Gazebo Stage at 6 p.m., the annual talent show at Gazebo Stage at 7 p.m. and the Junior Parade Marshal Contest announcement at Gazebo Stage at 7:30 p.m.
The events for Friday, May 31 are Pedal Tractor Pullers Contest registration on Center Street at 5:15 p.m. with the event beginning at 6:15 p.m., New Town Cloggers at the Gazebo Stage at 6 p.m., music by System Rewind at the Railroad Car Stage at 6 p.m., working and service dog demonstrations at Gazebo Stage at 6:30 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., and the Ron Retzer Trio at Gazebo Stage at 7 p.m.
The events for Saturday, June 1 are registration for 5-mile run, Bob Dyson 1.5-mile Memorial Walk/Run and Mini Jock Around the Block registration at 8 a.m. at the information booth with races beginning at 9 a.m.; registration for Dennison Rotary Car Show on 401 Grant St. from 10 a.m. to noon, judging beginning at 12:30 p.m.; Duffield’s Calliope by the Depot, music played from 1-4 p.m.; Barb Maurer Parade (new route begins at North First Street and North Street intersection and ends at the festival); visiting festival queens’ presentations at Gazebo Stage at 5:45 p.m.; music by Moonlyterz at Railroad Car Stage at 6 p.m.; working and service dog demonstrations at Gazebo Stage at 6:30 p.m.; and music by the 8 Track Band at the Gazebo Stage at 7 p.m.
The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum will have extended hours to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 for the festival. Photos entered in the Dennison Rotary Club Photography Contest will be exhibited at the Dennison Library May 28 through June 3 during regular business hours.
For more information visit www.dennisonrailroadfestival.org.