A two-hour parade, contests and games for the whole family, entertainment by
a Lumberjack Band, and a giant fireworks display will highlight the Connor
Forest Industries Centennial observance at Laona this Saturday, June 24th.
Although the Centennial Parade at 11 a.m. will officially open the day’s
activities, there will be elimination events for the power saw competition
beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the high school athletic field.
There will be two classes for power saw operators – one, an open class, is for
the general public; the second for company loggers or company jobbers. The
power saw contest will be held following the parade, at about 1:30 and will
have as master of ceremonies, G.B. Bradley of Crandon.
100 UNIT PARADE The 100 unit Centennial parade will feature area high
school bands and marching units, as well as the famed 100-member Wausau
Newman high school band. A bagpipe band from Stevens Point is also
expected. There will be many clowns, horses, floats and even a stilt walker.
The parade begins at 11 a.m. on Highway 8 just north of Laona. The route
is along Highway 8 through the village, to Elm Street where it will turn east
along Elm as far as Forest Avenue to the grade school, the end of the route.
GAMES FOR ALL Following the parade, at approximately 1:30 p.m., games and contests will begin. At the grade school playground there will be events for the family including a water bucket brigade contest, a sawdust contest for the children (coins will be thrown into a sawdust pile and the child finding the most coins will win a prize); a greased pole contest; a “catch the greased pig contest”; kiddie contests including a wheel barrel race, three-legged race and sack race; a pie eating contest, egg throwing contest (for women only) and a tug of war between Divisions, with the winner to challenge public participants.
A beard contest for men will be featured, with judging on the longest, best appearing, ugliest, most colorful, and also the best appearing goatee and the best appearing mustache.
The log sawing contest in the afternoon will include power saw and cross cutting saw competition, with the latter by World Champions. An unusual land log rolling contest, with lumberjacks attempting to roll uneven-sized logs down the field by means of cant hooks, will be held at the high school athletic field also.
SPEAKERS PLATFORM Paul Alfonsi, former assemblyman from Minocqua, will preside as master of ceremonies at the Speakers Platform at about 2 p.m. Congressman Alvin O’Konski and Harold Froelich, who is a candidate for the Republican nomination as 8th District Congressman, will be among dignitaries present. R.M. Connor, chairman of the board, Connor Forest Industries; G.R. Connor, president; G.P. Connor, vice-president, and D.N. Connor, vice-president, will be among company officials represented.
At 2:30 p.m. there will be recognition of some of the families who have long affiliations with the Connor Company. Presentation of the Centennial Court will be at about 2:55 p.m.
The Lumberjack Special will make runs during the afternoon on Saturday, and will also operate on Sunday, June 25th. This is the only Sunday of the summer that the old-fashioned steam locomotive will be in operation.
The colorful Lumberjack Band from Phillips, Wisconsin, will entertain Saturday and Sunday. A big street dance from 7 to 10 p.m. and a display of fireworks by World Wide Fireworks will climax Saturday’s events.
From the Forest Republican, June 22, 1972.
Parade, Contests, Fireworks
Highlight Connor Celebration
Forest Republican, June 22, 1972
The Connor Centennial Queen and her court - (L-R) Debbie Breeden , Linda Reeves , Kathy Wojnowski ,
Mary Matuszewski , Karen Webb, Susie Aschenbrener with Mary Roddis Connor.
Wojnowski Family Photo
Centennial Float - Debbie Breeden, Kathy Wojnowski, Mary Matuszewski, Linda Reeves, Susie Aschenbrenner and queen Karen Webb . Wojnowski Family Photo
