Good Neighbor Days Bring Fun
Good Neighbor Days continues to be the highlight of summer fun in Howard Lake. Activities begin on Thursday, run through Sunday, and culminate in the coronation Sunday evening of Miss Howard Lake and princesses.
Thursday starts the celebration with a Queen’s Tea and an evening banquet catered by a local restaurant, which is sponsored by the Howard Lake Business Association.
Friday’s activities include a petting zoo, root beer floats at city hall, and a Pee Wee Reese Baseball Tournament at Yager Field. The pee wee tournament is followed by an Orphans Baseball Tournament at Memorial Park.
While the games are played, burgers and fries are available at the fire station.
Children take to the streets during the Kiddie Parade Friday evening. After the parade and the Orphans game, Security State Bank and the City of Howard Lake provide a fireworks show. If it rains, the fireworks are postponed to Saturday night, after the championship game.
More fun begins early Saturday morning with a pancake breakfast at Lions Park before the fishing contest. Throughout the day, celebration goers enjoy a craft, flea and country market. Books and food are sold at the community room above the Howard Lake Library.
An annual one-block run starts south of city hall. At the same time, the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted National Honor Society has a car wash fundraiser.
Saturday is geared towards children with planned activities such as a paper airplane toss, as well as carnival games sponsored by the Good Neighbor Days Royalty Committee. Other activities include dunk tanks, bingo, turtle races, and fire truck rides for the kids.
Many take a break from the festivities to watch the fishing contest weigh-in, which begins at noon.
In the evening, the fire department often hosts a pork chop dinner.
The celebration continues into Sunday and begins with a 5k Run/Walk on the northeast side of Howard Lake. A community church service is conducted at the high school gymnasium, as well.
In the afternoon, the grande day parade lines up at the Wright County Fairgrounds for a swing through town. There’s live music under the tent, and the coronation tops off the evening. Raffle drawings with big prizes are Sunday evening also.
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