Events start Friday night with an outdoor movie

Connecting communities of people with its winding tendrils of rail, a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, commonly known as the Punkin’ Vine, played a part in the development of a number of towns in Crawford County, including Ricketts, Schleswig, Kiron and Boyer, all of which will celebrate their 125th anniversaries this summer.

The first to celebrate its quasquicentennial will be Boyer. Events will take place this Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1.

According to Anna Marie Schneller’s “History of Crawford County,” the plat for Boyer was filed by Martin Hughitt. He was with the Northwestern Railroad and was the president of the town lot company. The history book said Boyer was located on the Shives farm in Stockholm Township.

On Friday, Boyer will feature one quasquicentennial event – an outdoor movie beginning at dusk with free popcorn. Other concessions will be available to purchase.

Also on Friday night, people can take in wing night at the Country Pumpkin, where 21 flavors of wings are served.

Along with the A&S Classics building, the Country Pumpkin will be one of the gathering places for events on Saturday, beginning with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. The free-will donations will help pay for the fireworks, said Margaret Gilmore, who has owned the business since 2019. 

A bloody Mary bar will also start at the Country Pumpkin at that time and run until 10 or 11 at night.

Breakfast sandwiches for $5 will be sold at the A&S Classics building, owned by Allen and Sandy Hansohn, also beginning at 8 a.m.

Pie judging, a memorabilia auction, a beer garden and, of course a parade, are among the other events on Saturday.

Here’s a look at the rest of Saturday’s schedule.

9-11:30 a.m.: Drop off pies for judging at the A&S Classics building; for more information, contact Sandy Hansohn at 712-269-2547

9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Car show at Country Pumpkin. Gilmore said she would also have a motorcycle show and shine and a side-by-side show, weather permitting. Also, weather permitting, Jacob Sachau will have a racecar display and will sign autographs. Last year, Sachau won the IMCA Super Nationals at the Boone Speedway and has a string of wins so far this year.

9:30 a.m.: Parade line-up

10 a.m.-11 p.m.: Beer garden opens

10:30 a.m.: Parade

After parade: Staley’s chicken dinner at A&S Classics building

11:45 a.m.: Pie judging at A&S Classics building (pies judged on appearance)

12:30 p.m.: Auction of memorabilia, prize-winning pies and other items on Main Street

2 p.m.: Kids’ pedal pull on Main Street

2 p.m.: Historical tours of Boyer begin via hayrack ride

2-6 p.m.: Bingo at the A&S Classics building

2-7 p.m.: Bags tournament

3 p.m.: Old-time farm games

4 p.m.: Crawford County Cattlemen’s Association grill-out featuring Arcadia Meats ribeyes

7-10 p.m.: Performance by Boyer River Band at the beer garden

10:30 p.m.: Fireworks

Other attractions

A bounce house will be set up for kids.

A tractor display will be available for viewing next to the A&S Classics building.

Other food will be served throughout the day.

Flaco’s Tacos will be in Boyer on Saturday, and the Kiron Fire Department will be serving hamburgers and hot dogs at the beer garden at the Country Pumpkin, which is providing the hamburgers and hot dogs. The fire department will receive the proceeds.

At the A&S Classics building loose meat sandwiches, chips, pie and ice cream and a drink will be served for $10.

Allen Hansohn pointed to the amount of work that’s gone into preparing for the celebration and the volunteer help and donations received. He said bacon for the breakfast sandwiches was donated by Monogram Foods. Members of the Odebolt Fire Department will be helping with the breakfast sandwiches.

Proceeds from the Staley’s chicken dinner will go to Unity Ridge Lutheran School in Denison. People from the school will serve the dinner.

Hansohn said he anticipates a big parade. He said he invited 12 fire departments to participate. Representatives of past and long-standing Boyer families are also expected to be among the parade participants.

The farm games will include an event in which a driver has to back a tractor with a four-wheel wagon through a course. Hay bale throwing and hay bale stacking will also be featured. 

Memorabilia that will be on sale ties Boyer to its roots as a railroad town. This includes train engineer’s caps decorated with a Pumpkin Vine steam locomotive engine and the years 1899-2024, and pewter Pumpkin Vine steam locomotive banks. Issue No. 1 of those banks will be among the auction items, as will two framed black and white photographs of Boyer from the 1900s. An engraved gold-colored pocket watch, a gold-colored necklace and metal Boyer signs will also be auctioned off, as well as a variety of other items.

Other memorabilia for sale are black Boyer baseball caps and Boyer Christmas ornaments.

For more information, contact Allen Hansohn at 712-269-0074 or Sandy Hansohn at 712-269-2547.

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