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2015 Happy Days Festival Recap
<br />The City of Ramsey's 17th annual Happy Days Festival was a great success! We saw a weekend filled
<br />with beautiful weather, community involvement, and large crowds of Ramsey Residents and visitors.
<br />This year we started the Happy Days celebration a few days early with the first ever Taste of Happy Days
<br />event, hosted by the Ramsey Rotary on Thursday, Sept. 10th. An impressive audience turned out for the
<br />event which featured local food, wine and beer vendors, a silent auction and raffle drawing.
<br />On Saturday, Sept. 12th the day started off on a great foot with 55 runners showing up to take on the
<br />Happy Days 5k course, as well as 20 kids who participated in the Kids Fun Run. 70 riders enjoyed the
<br />Family Bike Tour; starting at Ramsey Fire Station #1 the riders could follow the trails along a 6.5 mile
<br />route or a 9 mile route this year. 63 expos vendors filled the field across from the Ramsey Municipal
<br />Center and attracted steady crowds throughout the day.
<br />In the afternoon, 45 classic cars lined both sides of Center Street for the Happy Days Classic Car Show,
<br />along with a dozen electric cars featured in Connexus Energy's Electric Car Show- which was a new
<br />addition this year. Crowds gathered to pull up a spot along the curb and watch the 2015 Happy Days
<br />Parade, featuring 50 floats. Judges Awards were given to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place floats in each
<br />category. This year the overall Crowd Pleaser Award went to the Color Guard- 7th Pennsylvania
<br />Regiment.
<br />There was fun for all ages! While kids enjoyed the inflatable playgrounds, bungee jump, rock wall, face
<br />painting, music, fun games and activities, parents enjoyed Bingo, the 2nd annual Happy Days Bean Bag
<br />Tournament, and sampling the chili at the Ramsey Fire Department's Chili Cook -off.
<br />Everyone enjoyed delicious food from 7 different vendors, an awesome performance by classic country
<br />band Gravel Roads, and magic and comedy by Jerry Frasier. The crowd stayed well after dark for an
<br />outdoor concert by Maiden Dixie and the best fireworks show around!
<br />The Happy Days Committee would like to thank all of those who volunteered their time and efforts
<br />toward making the 17th annual Happy Days Festival a smooth event, especially; Ramsey Police
<br />Department and police reserves, Ramsey Fire Department, Public Works Department and City Staff;
<br />without whose hard work and cooperation this event would never be possible.
<br />I would also like to recognize the Happy Days Committee, for the hours they put into making this day a
<br />success, not to mention their year-round dedication to the planning process.
<br />And a special thank you to the many generous sponsors whose contributions help to make this event a
<br />wonderful celebration for our community each year. Our platinum sponsors donate over $1,000 towards
<br />the festival: Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, Bank of the West, BOB FM, Bolton & Menk,
<br />Connections Church, Connexus Energy, Do All Printing, Freedom Christian Church, In'Tech Industires &
<br />Phantom Lures, Life Fitness, M&G Trailer Sales and Services, Northgate Church, Northern Light Church,
<br />Ramsey Lions Club, and St. Katherine Drexel Church.
<br />Our Gold sponsors donate at least $500: Ace Solid Waste, Anytime Fitness Ramsey, Coborn's, Hakanson
<br />Anderson, Hope Fellowship, The Links at Northfork, Mike Orn- State Farm Insurance, NAU Country
<br />Insurance, One Hour Heating & AC, Parkplace Studio, PSD, LLC, R and D Transportation, Village Bank,
<br />Wendell's, and Zero Zone, Inc.
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