Annual 'Crazy Days' adds 'Summer Festival' to mix

Malta’s annual Crazy Days event might have just tipped over to full board insane!

The annual event which features Malta merchants and is hosted by the Malta Area Chamber of Commerce has just gotten a whole bunch bigger as on Friday and Saturday, July 12 and 13, Crazy Day will be held in conjunction with the first ever Summer Festival on Friday and Saturday and then punctuated with the 2nd Annual Summer Olympics.

Family Matters’ Manager Avery Sorensen spearheaded the idea of the Summer Festival at the June Malta Chamber of Commerce Meeting and attended last Tuesday’s Malta City Council meeting to inform the alderman and mayor about the event ad request a street closure in Downtown Malta at Veterans’ Memorial Park (The Council happily approved the request.)

“The idea behind the event is similar, but on a smaller scale to what other towns do for festivals,” Sorensen said.

Sorensen said the plan is to start the Summer Festival on Friday night, July 12 at Veteran’s Memorial Park with the Summer Festival kickoff. The first night will include inflatable fun house type attractions for children, a petting zoo, snow cones, as well as vendors from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Starting at 9 p.m., live music will get underway with Hays, Montana’s Band Flansburg (the boys will also be playing music the night of the 13th at Kid Curry following the conclusion of the 2nd Annual Summer Olympics.) “We are just a group of buddies, all related and we pretty much show up places and give the best show we can,” said Zach Flansburg, the group's bassist. “We have been getting calls to play all over Montana and will be playing our own jam again in Hays on Independence Day with Bad Habit. Then we are going to come to Malta and give them a great night of great music.”

The street will be closed for the block party similar to the First State Bank of Malta Car Show layout and participating businesses will be open late with specials in store from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m.

On Saturday, Crazy Days — a Malta stalwart since at least 1989 — will get underway in downtown Malta with another street closure from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and the day will start with a free, pancake breakfast hosted by the Phillips County Hospital and Family Health Clinic with all the proceeds going to the Malta Kiwanis. Sorensen said Saturday will feature sales at local merchants, a student fundraiser dunk tank, watermelon eating contest and more.

“We are really excited because we have a lot of different groups coming out and hosting fundraising efforts,” Sorensen said.

Saturday night will conclude with the 2nd annual Summer Olympics. Teams will head to local taverns to compete in a bunch of Olympic style games. To register a team for the Summer Olympics, or if you have questions, contact the Malta Chamber at 654-1776 or Email [email protected].