Eckberg on Lumberjack Days: 'It's Been One Thing After Another'

When it rains it pours—and Lumberjack Days has been getting soaked.

What started as a PR storm over the late announcement of the musical acts has turned into a mess of logistical issues with the lay of the land.

“It () might as well be in Reykjavik, Iceland,” said Dave Eckberg, the 21-year organizer of the event.

After making the decision to axe the floating stage this year, flooding has turned the Lowell Park into a foreign land— wreaking havoc on the configuration of festival grounds.

“With the previous configuration, I knew where the power was,” Eckberg said. “Now that the stage has been moved 400 feet inland and I don’t know where anything is. It’s just nuts.”

But the issues didn’t stop there.

Flooding also caused the VIP section aboard the Andiamo Empress to be nixed.

”We can’t get the boat anywhere near the venue,” Eckberg said. “You would need a telescope to see the stage.”

So the VIPs will now be on solid ground—and under a tent—just  to the left side of the main stage.

As on Tuesday, Eckberg’s problems continue to be fluid.

On Monday, he told the Pioneer Press that the move inland would only affect only the events that occur on the north end of Lowell Park.

Remember, that was Monday.

The south end of the park, where family activities are held, Eckberg told the Pioneer Press, is not affected by the high water.

But on Tuesday, a water main in the south end of Lowell Park broke.

“When Tim Moore (the Stillwater Public Works Superintendent) called to tell me about the water main, we just started rolling,” Eckberg said. “It’s been one thing after another.”

The water main was replaced today (Wednesday), Eckberg said.

But the problems didn’t stop there.

The Pioneer Press also reported that Eckberg and Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton are in the midst of a disagreement about the festival’s payment for water patrol.

“It’s a non-issue,” Eckberg said when asked about the situation. “We already pay between $50,000-$75,000 to the city of Stillwater for public safety. To me, water patrol is public safety. Our view is that is a public safety expense and we already paid Stillwater for it.”

Notice there’s been no mention of the or the —until now.

The festival needs a permit from MnDOT to close Highway 95 for the road races, Eckberg explained; adding that the permit was submitted, but not processed before the state shutdown on July 1.

“It’s standard. We had to have it,” said Eckberg, who went on to say: “Let’s put it this way, we have our permit.”

The lift bridge schedule also poses challenges on Sunday night after the Thunder in the Valley Fireworks Show.

Just this week Stillwater Police Chief John Gannaway worked out a deal with the U.S. Coast Guard to schedule on Sunday night.

The bridge will now be raised at 10 and 11:30 p.m. It will remain down at 10:30 and 11 p.m.

Heat also posed a challenge to work crews setting up the festival grounds, Eckberg said.

“It’s really been amazing,” Eckberg said. “It’s like, what kind of curveball will they throw us next.”

With all the planning issues slowly fading into the past, Eckberg said he thinks the venue will work well.

“It’ll be fine-tuned, that’s for sure,” Eckberg said. “It’s going to be constantly reviewed by us.”

With all the pre-festival issues, Eckberg says festival-goers will not be impacted at all.

There’s going to be some great music, Eckberg said.

“I’m really excited about the musical lineup,” he said. “It will be a “wonderful time.”

Here is a list of Lumberjack Days events and times. Check back with Stillwater Patch for photos, stories, Treasure Hunt Clues and a daily schedule of events.