Lumberjack Days Revisited: What About 'The Locals'?

Next week the Stillwater City Council is set to hear presentations from three finalists who hope to put on a replacement festival to Lumberjack Days.

But there’s one thing missing: a local connection.

The three finalists—chosen by a selection committee and approved last week by the City Council (Ward 2 Councilman Ted Kozlowski and Ward 3 Councilman Tom Weidner were absent)—are Filo Productions of St. Paul, Genius of Fun Events of St. Croix Falls, Wis., and Minneapolis and Mid-America Festivals Corporation of Shakopee.

Those three finalists will present their proposals to the City Council at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 15. 

Click here to watch last week’s discussion about the Lumberjack Days RFPs.

The only local group—whose proposal made it to the round of five, but was not selected to the final three—has created a buzz among some Stillwater residents and business owners who would like to see them have a chance to present their proposal, too.

The Locals—made up of Brad Glynn (Lift Bridge Brewery), Paul Creager (Square Lake Film Festival), Shawn Smalley (Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque and Pirate Bar), Cassie McLemore (Cuckoo Productions) and Erin (Bachmann) McQuay (Cuckoo Productions)—have formed a nonprofit to give back to the Stillwater community.

They also proposed an event that honors the 80-year-anniversary of Lumberjack Days by involving the Washington County Historical Society, events in neighborhood parks, historical re-enactments, partnerships with several local nonprofit organizations and a strong focus on a community event that highlights the charm and historical relevance of our beloved river town.

“We are deeply invested in this town and have the necessary skills to consistently create a successful event,” a portion of The Local’s proposal reads. “We seek to produce a nationally-recognized event that blends the best from the golden years of Lumberjack Days (LJD), while gracefully combining new event elements that power LJD forward.”

Click here to read about the finalists on TwinCities.com.

For nearly two years, the City Council has welcomed, and solicited, community feedback about a replacement to Lumberjack Days. By month's end, there's a good chance we'll have a glimpse of what that event will look like.

So if it’s important to you that a group of locals also have the opportunity to present their proposal for a summer festival in downtown Stillwater, think about sending an email to your local representative.

You never know, maybe the council will consider allowing "The Locals" a chance to share their ideas for a new summer festival in Stillwater, too.

• Ken Harycki: kharycki@ci.stillwater.mn.us
• Doug Menikheim: dmenikheim@ci.stillwater.mn.us
• Ted Kozlowski: tkozlowski@ci.stillwater.mn.us
• Tom Weidner: tweidner@ci.stillwater.mn.us
• Mike Polehna: mpolehna@ci.stillwater.mn.us