The Opening Ceremony -
The stage was adorned with a backdrop of the quilt featuring all buttons from all 50 festivals. The quilt was designed and created by Lorri Rose and Lois Anderson with help from Barb Senum who digitized all the buttons and sublimation-printed them on fabric. This beautiful historical creation will be kept in the city of Middle River and will be displayed at all businesses throughout the year. It is currently displayed in Young’s Store front window. Be sure to check out this beautiful creation!
Miss North Star, Alexis Lombard, greeted the audience and gave her thanks for her time spent with the Middle River EMS Squad at their EMS event during the kickoff week. Alexis is an EMT from the cities who is passionate about promoting EMS services. She wil represent our area in the Miss Minnesota Pageant in June of 2025.
2024 Miss Middle River Kaydence Augustine performed “Country Roads” with a specialized version pertaining personally to Middle River!
Miss Middle River, Kaydence Augustine has the honor of placing the official Goose Fest flag, declaring that the 50th Goose Festival is now open!
Under beautiful warm sunshine skies Mat Stromsodt served as emcee for the Opening Ceremony with the Color Guard from Post 444 and national anthem by Nathan Bukowski.
Sharing some thoughts and memories were Grand Marshals for Goose Fest 2024 including Curt Neumann (top left), Jan Riske (top right) and Chuck Walton & KayDell Super (bottom). They were members of the first Goose Festival planning committee 50 years ago in 1975.
Festival Committee member KayDell Super, Middle River Community Club President Brianna Geer, Miss North Star Alexis Lombard, and Miss Middle River Kaydence Augustine pictured by the Goose Festival Flag, the Goose statue, and a very busy campground! As usual, the MRCC park turns into a temporary city of its own during the festival!
