“The weather was great. Attendance was great. The town looked super clean and well cared for. We had great involvement from everyone. It was the best year yet—and we’re already excited for next year!” said Britton Area Chamber Executive Director Emily Van Lith, reflecting on a successful 2025 Harvest Days celebration.
Organized by the Britton Area Chamber of Commerce, the weeklong event offered something for everyone—from 4-H events and a community meal to music, tournaments, and family-friendly fun. The festivities kicked off early in the week and wrapped up Sunday afternoon with a worship service, lunch hosted by Friends of the Library, and a “doggy dip” at the city pool.
Thursday evening’s community meal drew a hungry crowd, and Friday night’s fireworks lit up the sky with a strong turnout. Saturday morning’s 5K and 10K races also saw plenty of participation. In the 5K, Daniel Person of Britton took first place with a time of 19:11. Joseph Obrien, also from Britton, finished second in 22:11, and Amber Kirkvold of Crooks came in third with a time of 23:38. In the 10K, Jared Benson of Saskatoon claimed first in 45:52. Britton’s Sonny Jones followed in second at 53:06, and Hillarey Warner of Britton took third in 55:23.
The streets were filled with live music all weekend long, echoing the parade’s “Time to Rock” theme, which brought out creative floats and plenty of toe-tapping tunes. The Cornhole Tournament was another highlight of the weekend, with 42 teams competing. In the competitive division, first place went to Aaron Micko and Thomas Lee. Rob Baumgartner and Chuck Kostboth earned second, while Ty Fagerland and Jace Rein came in third. In the social division, Lofton Heer and Bowen Micko claimed first place, Ryan Thibert and Matt Sundin finished second, and Marcy Kostboth and Jeff Christenson took third.
The Harvest Days Volleyball Tournament saw five teams hit the sand, with the team of Drew Fredrickson, Cara Meyer, Casey Meyer, and Aidan Fredrickson taking the top prize. Over 400 people attended the pancake feed earlier in the day.
The 10th annual Rib Cookoff delivered mouthwatering competition. Rack Attack won for Unique Specialty Rib. Sweet Caroline’s BBQ earned People’s Choice honors and also took second place overall. Smoke ’em Out BBQ earned the first place title, and Kick Ash Smokin’ rounded out the top three in third place.
A new fan favorite this year was the inaugural 3v3v3 basketball tournament. In the 2nd–4th grade co-ed division, Kandrick Jones, Gannon Peters, Gage Beck, and Oliver Suther took top honors. In the 5th–7th grade boys division, Hudson Reiland, Cole Fowler, Silas Stenvold, and Kayden Kadoun earned the win. In the 5th–7th grade girls division, Emarie Miller, Maggie Taylor, and Skylar Bender came out on top. In the high school boys division, Chaz Vietor, Jack Teveldal, and Will Richter were the winners.
The annual Medallion Hunt was solved by Nate, Ann, and Lizzie O’Brien, who located the hidden item at the old Gerken Grocery/Cousins location. Another source of laughs was the blind golf cart rodeo hosted by Hurley & Associates. Blindfolded drivers relied on their partners to guide them through a barrel course. Karen Roehr and Stephen Livingston won first place, while Heath Hoglund and Angie Olson finished second. A few barrels were bumped along the way, but the laughter was nonstop.
Van Lith summed up the spirit of the weekend by encouraging more community involvement next year:
“We’d love more feedback in the planning stages next year and would love to form a committee. Please fill out the survey on our Facebook page and help us make next year even better!”
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