The summer end cap festival in Lisbon is almost here. The Sauerkraut Days will be August 15-17. It will have many of the fan favorite traditions as well as bringing back an old tradition and new bands.
The new “old” tradition coming back to the festival is a demonstration of how to make sauerkraut. This will be the first time in ten years the event will be available to attendees of the festival to watch and learn how to make sauerkraut. It will be led by Virgil Clark and Dolores Washburn and was organized by Lisbon Library director Elizabeth Hoover de Galvez. Clark and Washburn have been making sauerkraut since they were young kids and now make multiple crocks full of sauerkraut.
“[Virgil] said he has never had anybody get sick from his sauerkraut. I was very afraid of the idea of fermenting something at home,” said Hoover de Galvez, “He talks a lot about just being confident while working with these [fermenting] processes and trusting the salt to do the job.”
This demonstration will take place at the Southeast Linn Community Center at 11 a.m. Saturday of the festival.
Lisbon Parks and Recreation will be hosting the movie IF at Lisbon City Park Wednesday, Aug. 14, beginning at dusk (roughly 9 p.m.). Popcorn and candy will be provided for the outdoor movie.
Thursday night will kick off the festival with the ice cream social at 6:30 p.m., accompanied by the Laidback Brass Band. The ice cream is free and provided by Bass Farms. They will also provide bouncy houses and tractor rides Thursday night. The celebrate community event will also be held this year, providing information and resources for many community agencies and first responders and children’s activities.
The night will end with a fireworks show in City Park. The show will be done by Firehouse Pyrotechnics. The Lisbon Softball tournament will also be held at Lisbon City Park beginning Thursday afternoon.
The two headliner performances Friday and Saturday night will be Trophy Dads and Lonesome Road. Trophy Dads will play Friday night, and they perform a little bit of every genre. Jerry Dietsch, the president of the Sauerkraut Days committee, said a committee member watched the band perform live and decided they had to have them come to Sauerkraut Days. Lonesome Road will take the stage Saturday night and have been a long-time performer at the festival. Lonesome Road mainly plays country covers.
Also on Friday will be the crowning of king and queen candidates and recognition of the Grand Marshall for this year’s Sauerkraut Days. Both events will take place at the main stage in the Kraut Tent.
There will be many other artists performing throughout the festival, including Arch and the Outlaws, Laurie Maher, Matt Gogel, and Terry McCauley.
Plus, all the free sauerkraut you can eat, as well as plenty of brats and other foods. Carnival rides also return for the festival this year.
A different kind of performance will take place at the Lisbon Public Library. Author Zelle Crawford will read her new children’s book, Bomba Bebé, on Friday from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.
A small schedule change will be made this year. The Pedal Pull has been moved to Saturday instead of Friday.
“A favorite part [of Sauerkraut Days] is walking around and seeing all the little kids smiling,” Diestsch said. “Our schedule is set up to try and have something for the younger kids up until 5 p.m. Saturday. We’ll go right from the parade to the Pedal Pull, then right to bathtub races.”
The festival could not happen without the many volunteers that help with its setup, tear down, and running. Dietsch said there are about 16-18 volunteers active with the committee and another 20-30 that take care of running events.
“It’s fun to work with people that enjoy volunteering,” Dietsch said.
Kraut Route 5K Run/Walk
The Kraut Route 5K Run/Walk will be Saturday, Aug. 17. Race day registration is $20, and registration can be made online ahead of the event at sauerkrautdays.com.
The race begins at 8 a.m., with competitive walk and run. Place winners are awarded in all age divisions.
The race begins and ends at Lisbon City Park.
FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday Aug. 14
9 p.m. – Outdoor Family Movie: IF City Park
Thursday Aug. 15
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Free Ice Cream Social City Park
• Celebrate Community City Park
• Dusk Fireworks City Park
9-11 p.m. Teen Dance Main Street
Friday, Aug. 16
10 a.m. – Children’s Storytime and Q&A with Author Zelle Crawford: Bomba Bebé Lincoln Park Gazebo
1-4 p.m. – Golf Outing Kernoustie Golf Club
5 p.m. – Serving of Edgewood Locker Brats
+ Free Frank’s Kraut Kraut Tent
• Food and Vendors Open Main Street
• Carnival Rides Open Main Street
• Historical Displays Lisbon History Center
5:15 p.m. – Lora Light Memorial Parade 2024 Grand Marshall Announced, Kraut Stage
5:30 p.m. – Crowning of Sauerkraut King and Queen, Kraut Stage
6 p.m. – Lisbon Alumni Association Hall of Fame Inductees Announced, Kraut Stage
6:15 p.m. – Studio 30 Dance Performance, Kraut Stage
6:45 p.m. – Lisbon Wrestling and Cheerleader Labor Auction, Kraut Stage Area
7-11 p.m. – Bingo American Legion Building
9 p.m. to midnight – Street Dance with Trophy Dads, Kraut Stage
Saturday, Aug. 17
8 a.m. – Kraut Route 5K City Park
9 a.m. – Sand Volleyball, Beau Dylans 6 person, coed teams. Pre-registration required through Beau Dylans
9:30 a.m. – Parade Lineup, North Washington Street
10:30 a.m. – Lora Light Memorial Parade *No water or water balloons*
11 a.m. – Serving of Edgewood Locker Brats
+ Free Frank’s Kraut, Kraut Tent
• Food and Vendors Open, Main Street
• Carnival Rides Open, Main Street
• Cabbage Head Car Show, East Main Street,
No registration required; no line up before 9 a.m.
• Bags Tournament, Kraut Stage Area,
Registration Required
• Live Music by Arch & The Outlaws, Kraut Tent
• Cabbage Making Demonstration, Southeast Linn
Community Center
• Historical Displays, Lisbon History Center
• Pedal Pull Registration, City Hall Parking Lot
Download registration form
11:30 a.m. – Sanctioned Youth Tractor Pull (ages 4-11), City Hall Parking Lot
Noon-10 p.m. – Bingo, American Legion Building
1 p.m. – Live Music by Laurie Maher
2 p.m. – Bathtub Races, Registration Starting at 1 p.m., Fire Station
3 p.m. – Live Music by Matt Gogel, Kraut Tent
5 p.m. – Live Music by Terry McCauley, Kraut Tent
9 p.m. to midnight – Street Dance with Lonesome Road, Kraut Stage