BY ED FELIEN
It used to be church dinners were a big community event. Then they fell out of fashion, but the Basilica Block Party seems to have revived the tradition in the Catholic Church. St. Helena’s Autumn Daze is an annual event that seems to excite most of South Minneapolis.
It runs three days and begins Friday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. with games, music, bingo, food, a book sale and, the popular highlight, a fish fry. The music starts a 6 with John Mansfield playing alternative folk rock, and from 7 to 10 Kip Overbo and the MagnifiCATS play country and western tunes. There’s cold beer and fireworks at 10 p.m.
First thing on Saturday is the Grand Autumn Daze Parade. It starts at 10 a.m. at 50th Street and 36th Avenue, goes down 50th Street to Nokomis Avenue, down Nokomis to 44th Street and then up to the school at 32nd Avenue. There will be marching bands, homemade floats celebrating local businesses, students at St. Helena’s School, classic cars. Bring a bag to collect the candy thrown to the kids.
At 11 a.m. Ronald McDonald will present parade awards. At 11:30 Kip Overbo will perform children’s songs. From 12:30 to 2:30 Peter Sappano’s jazz band will play, featuring James “Jimmy-apolis” Wallace.
Hot Pastrami will play music of the ’50s and ’60s from 5 to 6, and from
7 to 10 p.m. The Pearl Brothers will play music of the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and today.
There will be rides all day long, children’s games, a country store, a toy shoppe, crafts, games of skill, food and a pumpkin patch game. Quilt Bingo will begin at 1 p.m. There will be 10 quilts as prizes throughout the day. Bingo will continue all day, ending with cash prizes of $500 in the evening.
Sunday begins with fresh baked caramel rolls and coffee and Mass at St. Helena Church. There will be a wide screen television set under the big tent for people to watch the Vikings game, which starts at noon. Rides and children’s games and bingo will continue throughout the afternoon. The silent auction ends at 3:15. From the end of the Vikings game until 5 p.m. Peter Sappano’s jazz band will perform.
It looks like a wonderful opportunity to get out and have fun with the neighbors before we all hunker down for another Polar Vortex.
Thanks for a heads-up about the Southside’s biggest get-together. I’ve visited a lot of church festivals (including the Basilica Block Party), but this tops them all. Who knew? Catholics still know how to unite folks. I’ll look for Southside Pride in the parade!