Avon is a town that is small enough to qualify for Garrison's "Towns Under 2,000" annual music contest, so the event of Keillor's Prairie Home Companion as a national broadcast from our little town is a very big deal for us.  No one in town can remember last time a satellite truck was here, but we've never had our Mayor John recite poetry before, so that alone is worthy (he's to appear on the program). We're excited to have you join us!

Here is what will be happening in Wobegon Park on the 4th: In addition to the national broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion from 4:45-7:00pm, we'll have the park open at 2:00 for seating and food. The Lion's will be serving cold beer (wanted to let you know that right away!), and you'll find food choices from hotdogs on the grill to hot pizza and sloppy joes. Soda, lemondade, rootbeer, and water will be offered. For dessert: ice cream cones and maybe smoothies if we can draw enough electricity in the park for that, along with our famous (really!) Beebopareebop Rhubarb Pie and Powdermilk Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake.

Parking: We have permission to use the local elementary school lot and the Avon Community Church lot for parking. Both of these lots are just 2 blocks past Wobegon Park on Avon Ave. This is also County Rd. 9. If you have small children or others who cannot walk the 2 blocks we recommend you drop them off at the park and then drive to the lots to park. You are also welcome to park on the city streets as room allows.

Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets! We do not have any bleacher seating available so you must bring your own chairs. The park will open for seating at 2:00.

Mr. Keillor is personally paying for most of the expense of this show, and we are so very grateful to be welcoming him and Prairie Home Companion to Avon.

Summer Quiz: Who drafted our Declaration of Independence at the youthful age of 33? **

Our 4th of July Celebration, American Style

Here is an update on details:

35th Anniversary of The Prairie Home Companion broadcasts by Garrison Keillor.

The Wobegon Park in Avon will play host to this event. A dynamite line-up of musicians and historians are planned, and as Garrison loves patriotic music he will no doubt convince you to sing along on a song to two. 

There will be a fine assortment of local food purveyors offering foods from Bee Bop a Ree Bop Rhubarb pie (sold by Fisher's Club) to sloppy joes, hot dogs, pizza, walleye sandwiches, and more. Vendors will be set by 2:00 p.m. so you can come early to watch the staging & sound check if that sort of thing holds your interest. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. While the broadcast starts at 5:00, we will ask attendees to take their seats by 4:45 p.m.

Fisher's Club is offering a reserved seat and walleye dinner special. For $10.00 you can have a hearty walleye sandwich, generous helping of coleslaw, pickle, and Killebrew Root Beer PLUS a reserved seat in the park (this is esp. good for those of you who don't own one of those chairs-in-a-bag.) The dinners will be delivered to our tent in the park at your choice of 4:15 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. during intermission. Please call the club to reserve your pre-paid dinner and seat: 320.356.7372.

The Club will be open at 2:00 p.m. on the 4th with our full menu for dining. If you are planning to join us at the Club after the show but unable to get an inside dinner reservation for your preferred time then please join us on the deck for burgers and brats on the grill, lakeside. We have a fine beer and wine list (where else in Central MN do you find New Castle on tap) and as always you can buy a set-up* and bring your own hard liquor.

We look forward to seeing you at Wobegon Park and at Fisher's Club on July 4th.

*A set-up is something we and the few remaining bottle clubs in Minnesota offer. We provide the elements for your favorite cocktail and you provide the hard liquor. Need an example? We deliver to your table an ice-filled shaker, olives, dry vermouth, and two martini glasses. You mix your martini as dry or dirty as you like. Apply this example to, say, a Marguerita.

This is really a great deal for you and us because by the time you have arrived at the Club, you've forgotten how much you spent on that pretty bottle of Grey Goose or Bombay Sapphire so your bar bill looks really low(you're happy) and you go home happy (we're happy). That's what we want - collective happiness - and we'll do our best to make that happen. Some nights it just takes a little longer than other nights!  -chp

**Thomas Jefferson is the answer to today's quiz.

Event: 35th Anniversary of A Prairie Home Companion

July 4th, 2009 is 35 years to the day of Garrison Keillor's first broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion public radio show. This national broadcast will take place from Wobegon Park in Avon, MN, the heart of Lake Wobegon.

Fisher's Club will be serving Bee Bop A Ree Bop Rhubarb Pie and Powdermilk Biscuit Strawberry Shortcake in the park, as well as offering brats and burgers from the grill.

We will open at 4:00 p.m. for dinner on the 4th, taking reservations. 320.356.7372