Fun Days in Saco gets underway this Friday

This year’s Saco Fun Days, “Ropes, Wrenches & Reels: Celebrating Our Rural Way of Life” might be a bit different this year, but given some extra safety measures, fun times will still be had. “We are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe and healthy,” reports Saco Chamber of Commerce President Lacey Dee Beil. “We will have sanitation stations set up, and all of the events will be held outdoors in front of the bar, hotel, and café.”

The weekend kicks off with a Cornhole Tournament at 7 p.m. on Front Street and food will be available at the Cook Wagon. They will be doing a Calcutta for teams starting at 6:30.

During the tournament, custom cornhole boards made by Nick Kuel will be auctioned off as a benefit for Randy Gairrett. Gairrett is a 17 year old senior at Saco High School and the son of Darrell and Colleen Gairrett.

He was diagnosed with Lymphatic Malformation Disease in his abdominal cavity late this spring that required emergency surgery on May 21, 2020. During the first surgery, 17 cysts were removed, but hundreds of cysts still reside in him. These cysts are not life-threatening, but the first surgery had many complications that required many more major emergency surgeries, followed up with other minor surgeries to continue cleaning his infection. Randy spent a month at St. Vincent’s in Billings before being flown to the Children’s Hospital of Colorado for another month. Although many tests have been done to see what his long term care would look like, minimal answers were given. He goes back to Colorado in October to have another MRI, and hopefully, some answers will be provided at that time.

Parade line up starts Saturday at 10:30, with the parade to start at 11 am. Everyone is invited to grab some grub at Pip’s Diner afterward. “Don’t forget to buy your buttons!” urges Beil. “The prizes are too good to miss out on!” Prizes this year include an outdoor grill with a flat top, a Dewalt cordless drill set, a Roomba vacuum, $100 gift cards, and a game camera. The drawing will be at 1 pm outside of the hotel.

The afternoon is full of events for kids and adults alike. There will be a Kid’s Power Wheels Race, and a straw hunt, and the always entertaining Minnow Races start at 5 p.m.

At 7 p.m., the Talent Show will kick off the festivities and the street dance. The “Time in the Saddle” band will begin around 7:30. Pip’s Diner and OB’s will be open all night to keep everyone full and hydrated. Sunday morning, there will be a softball tourney starting at 11 am, followed by a 2 p.m.Horseshow Tournament. The Cook Wagon will open up at 4 p.m.

“Social Distancing is recommended”, says Beil. “We really want to have a great time, but we want everyone to please do it as safely as possible. But everyone is invited to come out and celebrate our rural way of life!”