Northfield Downtown Development Corporation

That’s how I might describe how much is going on in our town this weekend, at the slow end of July.

Moments after the Sundowner Classic Cars drive into the sunset, the 50s and 60s music by KRDS Radio fades away, and Crazy Daze ends until next year, the entertainment picks up again for the weekend.

Thursday night there’s Charlie Parr at Hogan Brothers Acoustic Cafe, 7 pm, Study Hall with Peter and Terry at The Contented Cow, and Tony Newes at The Tavern Lounge, riverside of the Archer House.

Friday come on down(town) and check out Annie Get Your Girlfriends, a women’s health event with over 20 business participating in the activities and prizes in downtown Northfield, starting at 4 pm, Steve Kelly and Occasional Jazz, 5:30 pm, and Marty Anderson and the Goods, 8:30 pm, at the Contented Cow, and Joe Mayer at the Tavern Lounge.

Saturday night, Bonnie and the Clydes (that’s Bonnie Jean Flom, Bill McGrath and Scott McMillan) are at The Contented Cow and Jeff Ray is at the Tavern Lounge.

Finally, Sunday, it’s Northfield’s most vigorous and/or virulent art form, Politics and a Pint, 6 pm at The Contented Cow.

Thanks to Griff Wigley for the photo of Steve Kelly and his musical gang.

Sure, I’m name-checking the song by James Brown, but it just seemed too perfect to pass up.

Just like this bag I’m holding up in the photo to the left.

The bag was something I scored at Crazy Daze, courtesy of the First National Bank. You can imagine how enthusiastic I am about the message on it.

Not only can I share my philosophy about investing in our community when I take out this bag, I can save a few trees by taking advantage of its reuseability. It worked fine for the two books I picked up at Monkey Read, with more than enough room left for my camera, the Wall Street Journal, and a bag of coffee.

Thanks to the folks at First National and, please, Shop Locally.

Here we have four of the fifteen grandchildren of Marjorie Cox, carrying on with the Crazy Daze tradition. They’re standing in Bridge Square, showing off their prized purchases. Marjorie was no doubt smiling down upon them; the t-shirts came from her beloved Northfield Historical Society…and were bargains to boot!

I’ve already scored from The Rare Pair, Champion Sports and River City Books, and the event has only been open for a little over an hour. Now it’s time to head further south, perhaps to Present Perfect, Monkey Reads and Fine Groove. Yeah, I’ve had my Alaskan Doughnut but I’m already thinking about pizza from B & L’s…and then there’s ice cream treats, north at Sweet Pea’s Toys and Treats.

Oh my gosh, look at the event schedule, in just over an hour, at 10 am, there’s Pedal Cart Races at Equine Outfitters, the Chicken Cannon at Hot Geeks, and Watermelon Seed Spitting at Just Food. I’d better get going.

So, come on down(town) and join in the fun!

…Alaskan Doughnuts, that is…much bigger ones than pictured at left. Though, let me assure you, this freshly baked treat from Quality Bakery was a more than adequately satisfying snack for me this morning.

For the past few years, ever since that infamous photo taken by Griff Wigley in 2003, the local paparazzi hound me as I do my rounds of downtown, hoping to catch me with a doughnut in my hand…or better yet…mouth.

But heck, it’s for a good cause…

CRAZY DAZE…that annual summer celebration of shopping locally.

This year, the Retail Committee of the Chamber of Commerce has once again put together a schedule of great events. In addition to the CITY-WIDE BARGAINS, TASTY FOOD SPECIALS, and SIDEWALK SALES GALORE, there’s Half Price Tours by the Northfield Historical Society, a Just Food Co-op Employee Costume Contest, a “Nuts & Bolts” Challenge by Ace Hardware, Pedal Cart Races by Equine Outfitters, The Chicken Cannon by Hot Geeks LLC, Make 4H Trail Mix, Crazy Co-op Carnival at Just Food, Free Food, Free Ring Flyers and $1,000 medallion search contest by Ziman Orthodontics, Steamroller Printing by ArtOrg, a Skateboard demonstration, break-dancing performance, dunk tank and drawings by Union of Youth, a Game by Kids on Division, a Newspaper Throwing Contest by the Northfield News, a Hula Hoop Contest by Rare Pair, Design & Paint T-shirts by Rocky Top, Waiters’ Race between local restaurants, Dance performance by Dance-N- Fitness, “Classic Cars” displayed by Sundowner Car Club, a Dance performance by Northfield Dance Academy, and 50’s/60’s music by KRDS Radio.

The fun runs from 7 am to 8 pm. So come on down(town) and join in, Thursday, July 24th, Crazy Daze.

In the low lighting of the far recesses at the popular clandestine meeting place known as Froggy Bottoms, there was gathering of suspicious characters early Wednesday evening. Based on this photograph, they were somehow tricked into posing for documentation of their no-doubt nefariousness.

Pictured from left to right are: Jessica Paxton, Northfield Arts Guild Board Member and NDDC Events and Marketing Committee Member, Mary Rossing, NDDC Board President, Chip DeMann, notorious leader of the James-Younger Gang, Dan Freeman, Mr. Fireworks, Ross Currier, NDDC Executive Director, and Hayes Scriven, Northfield Historical Society Executive Director.

If you look closely, it appears that money changed hands during the course of this cabal. I’d love to tell you the truth about the gathering, but I can’t. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.

Tune in a week from yesterday for the whole story.