Mother Nature gave us an early, threatening indication that this year’s Watercade would not go off as planned.

Less than two hours into the weekend’s first big night of celebrations, the skies turned threatening and sent everyone scurrying from the beach at Memorial Park —  leaving behind the planned beach party and hundreds of cooked and uncooked brats and other festival food.

But the storm, which many said briefly created a funnel cloud over Lake Ripley and did spawn a tornado near Willmar, passed quickly. And the never-say-quit attitude of Watercade Board members and Litchfield-area residents shone brightly through as hundreds returned to the beach. The KLFD-sponsored beach party started a little late, but it was as fun as any previous year’s festivities.

Mother Nature continued throughout the weekend to taunt Watercade Board members and those who wanted to enjoy the festivities. She didn’t succeed in spoiling the fun, though.

If anything, she allowed Watercade organizers to prove they were up to whatever challenge came their way.
High winds throughout the weekend threatened the fireworks display, Art in the Park, the Little Crow Ski Team’s water ski show and many other events. Every one of the events took place — some at slightly different times or in different venues, but they still happened.

Maybe most impressive was the way the Watercade Board successfully pulled off moving the water ski show from the east side of Lake Ripley near Memorial Park to the west side in front of West Ripley Park. When high winds created conditions that were not conducive to skiing at the planned site, organizers shifted the site across the lake where the lake surface was at least a little bit more calm.

Moving the event meant organizing a shuttle bus to carry spectators from the Memorial Park parking lot to the other side of the lake, where parking spaces were far less available.

Of course, the Little Crow Ski Team deserves tremendous credit, too. The move meant skiers had to put up with a much rougher, pebble-strewn beach area at which to come ashore instead of  the soft, sandy beach at Memorial Park. They handled the change and staged a great show, completing some impressive maneuvers and outstanding jumps in spite of the wind and rough water.

Watercade organizers faced plenty of challenges this year, but all in all, they put together a festival that left most people smiling and having fun. If you see a Watercade Board member in the coming days, be sure to tell them you appreciate their efforts.

The next time you see one of the board members, offer them a thank you. The board includes:
Chairman Tim Mergen; Treasurer Jason Zeppelin; Secretary Rose Lendt; Commodores Sue Koll and Kelly Penk.
Board members: Justin Klinghagen, Scott Marquardt, Dee Schutte, Chad Shoultz, Ryan Wendlandt, Lori Bruggers, Tammy Minton, Sarah Atkinson, Dan Smith, Amy Raiber, Beth Pasco, Nick Alt.