Saco Fun Days Set For 60th Annual Event Starting Friday

Saco is having their busiest weekend of the year, as the 60th Annual Saco Fun Days starts on Friday, September 1, and will conclude on Sunday, September 3.

The weekend will feature several fundraisers, an Open Rodeo at County Line Arena, Live Music, a rather large Free Will BBQ and Methodist Pie Social, a Cornhole Tournament, and the Saco Fun Days Parade.

The annual event kicks things off with a Pot Luck at the City Shop on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The first feed of the weekend will be followed by a Cornhole Tournament at Miller Park. The tournament starts at 7 p.m. and is a benefit for Lynne Weyrauch.

There will also be benefits for Patti Minnerath (Calf Races at the rodeo) and Becky Johnston (Minnow Races).

"We always have a few Calcutta's for different events and there is somebody from our community who will receive 20 percent of the Calcutta total," Saco Chamber of Commerce Secretary Dannie Gerhke said. "The people that receive the Calcutta benefit are families in need due to various circumstances. We want to lift up people going through a rough time and our ability to help support them with some financial means is one way we are able to do this."

At 9 p.m. Stolen Roan will play live music at The Rebar Saloon.

The Saco Fun Days Parade will be set to start at 11 a.m. There will be prizes for first place, second place, and third place.

This year's Parade will feature Clint and Jana Simpson as the Grand Marshals, or as Gerhke calls them "Parade Masters."

"Clint and Jana have been active participants in helping organize and help with events during Fun Days," Gerhke said. "The Saco Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture decided as a group to honor their continual support and participation by having them as our Parade Masters... I mean Grand Marshals."

The Saco Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Free Will BBQ and Saco Methodist Pie Social will happen at noon following the parade at the City Shop.

"We have all kinds of delicious foods from meat prepared by Pay N Save to Cole Slaw and Beans made by members of the community," Gehrke said.

The annual Button Draw is scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. A total of 800 numbered buttons were sold by the Saco Chamber at $3 a piece, but the price of buttons will go up in 2024.

This year, the Button Draw will feature over $4,000 worth in prizes. This includes a Pit Boss Grill that has been on display at Saco Dehy. Other items include a Pampered Chef mixer, a massaging recliner, gift certificates donated by multiple businesses, hats, t-shirts, hoodies, a power wheels tractor for kids, and a Coleman Cooler that will be filled with 4-H Fair Beef, according to Gerhke.

"The donations from our local community members and businesses are amazing, because without them, our Button Draw wouldn't be as big as it is," Dehrke said. "There are people from out of town who send money to their family and friends to buy buttons for them because they don't want to miss out."

At 2 p.m. kids are invited to play games across from the City Shop.

The Second Annual CLA Open Rodeo starts at 3 p.m.

Minnow Races will occur after they are auctioned off at 6:30 p.m. This year's Minnow Races are a Benefit for Becky Johnston.

Mountain Country Band will perform live music at 9 p.m. at the Rebar Saloon.

On Sunday, a Softball Tournament will be held at 11 a.m. The teams are formed by drawing names from a hat.

"We've had people from both Glasgow and Malta reach out to see if their already formed team could participate," Gerhke said. "The answer is they can come and participate, but we are not going to promise they will all be on the same team. It is a random name draw."

There will be a Horseshoe Tournament at Miller Park at 2 p.m. There will be refreshments and music at Harvest Assembly Church from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Though there may be some concerns about mosquitoes, the Town of Saco has been proactive at Saco Fun Day events.

"The Town of Saco is pretty amazing at having some extra spraying done to help with the pests," Gerhke said.

Gerhke shared a message on behalf of the Saco Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.

"As organizers of this Fun Days weekend, our hope for people is that they have a great time making new memories, connecting with old friends/family and making new friends," Gerhke said.