July 14, 2014 at 4:05 p.m.
Food, history draw people to Northwoods Heritage Fest
Food, history draw people to Northwoods Heritage Fest
Organizers said the parade a reminder of what the festival is all about.
"People go through life but don't always think about their heritage all the time, they don't always think about where they came from, so this is an opportunity to bring that forward as something to think about," said organizer Cyd Brunswick. "A lot of us were born in the United States but we still have a heritage, our grandmas and grandpas or older generations came from Europe, so it's just a time for families and everyone to get together and have a good time while thinking about and learning about their heritage and where they came from and things like that."
Learning about one's heritage is a big reason why many attend the event. Whether it's reading documents at one of the many booths or simply chatting with someone with the same historical background, Heritage Fest offers people a way to learn about where they came from.
"I love all the booths and all the information around about, well, my people I guess I'll call them," Cindy Jensen said. "Not only that, but just chatting with other people around here you learn a lot. I'm Polish - I mean completely Polish - but I never knew that much about what people went through when they came over here and some of the older people here really have some great stories. It's fascinating."
Sharing stories is a big part of the event.
"I love hearing about people's grandparents or great-grandparents and all the stories they have to share. It's very illuminating," said Phillips. "I'm a mutt. I'm a little bit of everything. As I walk around I'll listen in to people talking and join in the conversations and just see what I can learn. You never know what you'll find out until you open your ears."
Nothing accentuates good conversation like a hearty meal, and if you're going to be talking about your heritage, you might as well chat over a national dish.
Many Heritage Fest attendees said the opportunity to try new dishes, or indulge in a more familiar treat, is one of the highlights of the event.
"The food here is absolutely amazing. Ever since my mother passed, we haven't eaten a lot of traditional German food, but whenever we come here, we always load ourselves up with as much as we can take," Jeremy Miller said. "We try the other places, too - especially the Irish food, which I love even if my wife hates it. It's a great mix. Foods from around the country. You can't beat that."
Marcus Nesemann may be reached at [email protected].
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