Above photograph: The Yooper Red Hats of Pickford, Goetzville, DeTour, Drummond Island, Raber, and Stalwart provided a colorful and amusing entry in the Hay Days Parade Saturday, August 6. Twenty military veterans from the 1950s were honored during the 2005 Hay Days celebration in Pickford Friday night, August 5. Their service took place during an era that was showcased last week, during festivities Wednesday, August 3, through Sunday, August 7.

The honored veterans included Dewey Smith, Jim Weston, John Quinn, John McDonald, Chuck Crawford, Robert Jones, Jim Miller, Dale Reich, John Lehigh, Bob Hall, Stanley Kennedy, John Hillock, Al Davis, Hilary Wiggins, Michael Ygeal, Glenn Crisp, John Sullivan, Donald Adams, Roy Rye, and Robert Rosing.

Sydney Kuenzer of Sault Ste. Marie represents another cultural icon from the 1950s and 1960s: “the Beatnik,” named for the “Beat Generation,” a term coined to represent the literary and intellectual society of the time. Miss Kuenzer has relatives in the Pickford area. Poodle skirts, rock n’ roll music, and diners were featured prominently throughout the weekend, which celebrated the 1950s, a time of growth and change in the Eastern Upper Peninsula. The weekend’s parade gave residents a chance to show off some classic automobiles and tractors, as well.

Left photograph: Paige Fehner of Pickford displays the old Pickford ice cream boxes from ice cream made at the former Pickford Creamery. Her “’50s Diner” entry in the Hay Days Kiddies Parade Friday night, August 5, brought back memories for many local residents. Brittnie Wallis was crowned Hay Days Queen Friday night, August 6, and was selected from a pair of candidates that included Chelsea O’Connor. She is the daughter of Mark and Sherri Wallis, and she has a brother, Rob. She is 17, and will be a senior at Pickford High School this fall. Her hobbies include swimming, horseback riding, and traveling. She is a member of the Family, Community, Careers Leaders of America, and she swims with the Sault High swim team. Candidates were judged on the merit of an essay and an interview with judges.

2005 Hay Days Queen Brittnie Wallis (center) was crowned Friday night, August 5, by 2004 Queen Lindsey Harrison (left). Miss Wallis’ court includes Chelsey O’Connor (right). The girls were escorted by (back row, from left) Blake Mastaw, Toby Kibble, and Clayton Peffers. 2004 Hay Days Belle Verva McDonald Adams turned her crown over to 2005 Belle Idena Dodds, who was escorted by her sons, Dan and Roger Dodds. Kristi Gough and Isaac Leach, the Hay Days Princess and Prince, also participated in the Friday night program.

Michael Cantin was crowned the overall champion of the Eight-Ball Pool Tournament. Age division champions included Casey Vogel, Paul Morrison, and Andre Bown.

Paul Morrison was the Under 18 Ping Pong Tournament Champion, while Paul Gruenberg won the Over 18 Division.

Following are results and highlights from other Hay Days events:

Hay Days Parade - Best Class Reunion: Class of ‘75; Best Business Entry: Beacom Insurance with “’50s Stardust Drive-In Theater;” Best Organization Entry: Yooper Youth Fellowship’s Serengheti Trek; Best Walking Entry: Pickford Elementary Cheerleaders; Best 1950s Car: Old Mission Bank’s 1956 Studebaker owned by John and Sandy Howlett; Best 1950s Truck: Class of ‘50, pulled by Chet Crawford’s 1950s truck; Best Antique Vehicle: Ray Karr’s 1937 Pontiac; Best Team of Horses: Linda English’s miniature horses; Best Local Musical Group: Stevenson Sandridge Gang’s tribute to traditional bluegrass music from “the ‘50s-- the 1850s”; Best Theme Entry: Cub Scout Troop 121 and Girl Scout Troop 194’s “Scouts Diner;” Best Horse Rider: Abby Galloway; Best Float Pulled by an Off-Road Vehicle: Pickford Brownie Troop’s 1950s jukebox scene; and Best Organization Club Entry: Pickford 4-H Livestock Club’s rendition of the hit television series, M*A*S*H.

Watson’s Shoe Store’s “Rocky the Clown,” also known as Tommy Curtis, and the Yooper Red Hats float received honorable mentions. The Yooper Red Hats were runners-up in the musical group division, for their singing.

Haybale Races - Last year’s champions, the “Princes of the Universe” team was conquered by the Pickford Hicks. The Hicks included Daryl Leese, Davis Rye, Derrick Campbell, and Louie Coullard. The Princes were comprised of team members Mahlon Collins, Brad Hunter, Andy Raden, and Carl Morrison.

Horseshoe Contest — The Open Horseshoe Tournament was won by the team of Ron Nettleton and Dickie Fisher. Bob Waters and Eddie Bender claimed second place.

Garden Tractor Pull

0— 600-Pound Class: 1st - Branden Claypoole of Dafter; 2nd - Tyler Rye of Pickford; 3rd - Johnathon Kamper of Pickford, 4th - Logan Fegan of Brimley; Trenton Erner of Rudyard.

601-800-Pound Turf Class: 1st - Logan Schupp of Rudyard; 2nd - Tyler Rye of Pickford; 3rd - Dustin Rye of Pickford, 4th - Jordan Jarvie of Rudyard.

601-800-Pound Bar Class: 1st - Jake Batho of Pickford; 2nd - Jonathan Kamper of Pickford; 3rd - Travis Rye of Pickford; 4th - Logan Fegan of Brimley, 5th - Trenton Erner of Rudyard.

801-1,000-Pound “Heavyweight” Class: 1st - Logan Fegan of Brimley, with a full pull.

Horse-Pulling Contest — Ten horsepulling teams participated in the contest, which took place Saturday afternoon. The crowd favorite seemed to be young Blake Landosky, of the Bay City area, who at15, was the youngest puller at the contest. Randy Hall won the horsemanship award in the lightweight division, and Daryl Scales won the horsemanship award in the heavyweight contest.

Lightweight Division Places: 1st - Bob Cripe of Crystal Falls; 2nd - Jim Cripe of Stalwart; 3rd - Blake Landosky of Bay City; 4th - Randy Hall of Pickford, 5th - Irwin Mitchell of Stalwart.

Heavyweight Division: 1st - Dave Esslin of Stalwart; 2nd - Jason Storey of Stalwart; 3rd - Daryl Scales of Sault Ste. Marie driving Barney Osborn’s team from Kinross, 4th - Mark Landosky of Bay City, and 5th - Joe Harrison of Stalwart.