Heritagefest preparations

Festival starts Friday; features music,

old favorites,

sauerkraut wrestling

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The 30th annual Heritagefest promises to entertain a variety of age groups and interests with more than a few new wrinkles beginning Friday at the Brown County Fairgrounds.

New music on stage includes Bob Wootton and Six Mile Grove. Wootton was Johnny Cash's lead guitarist for 30 years. The band includes New Ulm attorney Jeff Braegelmann.

The list of old favorites includes the rock band 69 Cents, New Odyssey, Theater of Foods, Star Search, three-time Grammy nominee and Nashville recording artist LynnMarie and The Boxhounds,a 10-member band that plays swing, modern, Motown, big band, and Chicago-style music. The Oswalder Band of upper Austria performers classical to jazz, blues to folk music.

The list of regional musicians includes The Concord Singers, the Bruce Bradley Band, Peter & Paul Wendinger Band, Ross Sutter, Donnie Klossner, the Original German Band, Cactus & The Jolly Brewers, Lin Hans Rud Dancers, the Minnesota Traditional Morris Dancers, The Echoes, and the Mexican Folk Dancers of Sleepy Eye, to name a few.

Student Friday, Teen Day is July 9. Student admission will be reduced from $11 to $7 and a paid admission for students ages 13-18 allows another student to get in free.

Other promotions include a European Auto Rally on Saturday, July 10. Mercedes-Benz, Audis, Volkswagens and BMWs will be on display.

Participants are sought for sauerkraut wrestling on Saturday, July 10, chicken dancing on July 11 and Karaoke singing on Fridays, and Saturdays.

The 10K and 2-mile fun runs and Kinderlauf will be held Saturday, July 10. Participants can pre-register at New Ulm Medical Center.

The Red Hat societies of the region will join to celebrate the fest on Friday, July 16. They'll be recognized on stage in the Fest Halle at 3:30 p.m., join the mini-parade at 6 p.m. and be eligible for special prize drawings.

A wide variety of food and beverages includes brat burgers, bratwurst, landjaegers, pork, rib and chicken sandwiches, German potato salad, sauerkraut, spaetzle, sweet corn, Luigi's Italian ice, pie and ice cream, schmierkuchen, apple strudel, German chocolate cake, plus many snacks and domestic and imported drinks.

Highway travelers are reminded to use 12th North Street via Garden Street from the west and Front Street from the East to reach the fairgrounds. Heritagefest signs will aid those unfamiliar with New Ulm.

Fest hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, call 507-354-8850, e-mail hfest@newulmtel.net or visit www.heritagefest.org