good ol' fashioned entertainment

One of the biggest days of the year was the annual 4th of July celebration. This was usually sponsored by the local park. Various games were held, such as foot races, tug-of-war, watermelon eating contests and horseracing. In later years the Belle Plaine Fire Department was in charge of the evening fireworks. This job was taken on by Alf Albrecht who performed the task for many years.

Most of the horseracing was done right on the streets, starting just east of town and the finish line was the first house on Main Street. There was also an oval race course in town. This was near the site of our present baseball field. The judges' "lockout" was very near the present school superintendent's office. It was about a half-mile distance around the course.

Another very popular series of events were local plays put on and directed by local talent. These were first held at Weiberler's Hall, which was upstairs over the present picture framing store on the corner of Main and Meridian. In later years, they were held in the Roseland Ballroom, which was upstairs over the former Keup Chevrolet/Buick dealership.

Although horseracing is now left for the horse track in another Minnesota River Valley town, Shakopee; plays presented by the BP Community Theater and fireworks at the annual BBQ Day's Celebration are still a big part of Belle Plaine's entertaiment.