The first Wild Rice Festival was held on Sept. 24 and 25, 1949. The following year it was moved up to the end of August. In 1998 it is being held July 9 - 12. Some Wild RIce Festival highlights through the years include:

• 1949 - The first Wild Fireworks, street dance, talent show, ball games, horseshoe contest, trap shoot, drawings for prizes, whisker growing contest with Kangaroo Court, dance, tug-o-war, band concert.Some of the events that seem to have been part of the Wild Rice Festival from the very beginning are the Methodist and Catholic Church suppers, talent and variety show, dances, a queen contest (though there was a period of five years when they did not have one). For many years the Wild Rice Festival ended with Sunday night fireworks with Milto Wolfe in charge.
• 1950 - Stafford King, native son of Deer River and Minnesota State auditor, was present to crown the queen and spoke at Sunday afternoon program.
• 1951 - The festival was held the last week of August. The Kiddie Parade proved to be one of the highlights of the festival. Dick Peck and Harlow Thompson, international canoe derby champions, were honored at festival talent show.
• 1952 - 4,000 people enjoyed the big two day Rice Festival; kiddies stole the show. Three Pow Wows under the direction of Chief Ed Wilson to be held. C.E. Fadden arranged the Pow Wows. Merchandise prises were awarded in the Potato Show competition. The midway featured concession booths, games, food stands, novelty counters, a kiddie ferris wheel and many other forms of entertainment.
• 1953 - Congressman Harold C. Hagen and C.E. Fadden, who is in charge of the Indian celebrations at the Wild Rice Festival will be adopted into the Chippewa Indian Tribe. Almost 200 children took part in the kiddie parade.
• 1954 - The festival parade this year is going to be MORE than a kiddie parade. There will be floats and bands participating and is expected to stretch over a mile. The kiddie parade had their own "kiddie unit" in the big parade.
• 1955 - The festival dates had been moved up to mid-August. Audry Neville and Alberta Cater were the dramatic and dancing instructors in Deer River and headed the Talent Show portion. Milton Wolfe was in charge of fireworks.
• 1956 - After five years the Queen contest was brought back in 1956. Ten girls were sponsored for the queen contest with the general public voting at the business places of the sponsors. Kris Lambert, who was sponsored by Sure Game Resort in Wirt, was the winner, with Darlene Schultz and Judy Rutanen as runners up.
• 1957 - Merchants again sponsored queen candidates with Diane Sinkola as the queen and the contest earned $157 for the Lions Club. The winner received a beaded hand-made Indian leather jacket and the runner-ups, Corrine Davis and Julie AnnNelson won beaded leather handbags. This method of selecting a Wild Rice Queen was continued for several years.
• 1958 - In addition to the regular Festival events, An Amateur Boxing Show was scheduled. A professional Variety Show was brought in rather than the local talent show. Speaker was Congressman Jahn Blatnik.
• 1959 - This years Festival was moved up to August 7 - 9. Some special attractions were the squard dance contest and water fights by the Fire Department. Teenagers converged at the High School gymnasium and grown-ups gathered at the Arena for their ball. Wrestling and a professional variety show were planned.
• 1960 - This year the Wild Rice Festival was extended to three days and the turtle feed became a regular Friday night event. At this time the Pow-Wows were a regular every Friday night feature during the summer months.
• 1961 - Two church dinners, Methodist and Catholic, had been and still are standard events of the Festival. Mary Bahr, chair of the Catholic dinner reported 350 pounds of turkey were consumed by the 750 people eating on Sunday. Melba Miller was chairman of the Methodist dinner where 460 dinners were served.
• 1962 - Sunday is being featured as "Stafford King Day" A Deer River High School graduate, he has been State Auditor since 1930. He is married to a Deer River woman, Bertha Breid. On Friday firemen sponsor a Schmidt's Wild Rice Animal circus and provided a turtle feed at 5 p.m.
• 1963 - The parade was held under a blistering sun that sent temperatures to 93 degrees. Lynn Midway Shows will be in full operation Friday morning. A donkey ball game is scheduled.
• 1964 - Tom Swisher recently shot a big black bruin and will have a "bear-burger" stand. Deer River Sportsmen's Club is sponsoring the turtle feed this year rather than the firemen.
• 1965 - A daredevil chute artist was to make a parachute jump onto the football field during the Festival. Three fishermen who were attending the Festival were invited in off the midway and were asked to judge the queen contest. Audry Peterson became the queen.
• 1966 - The square dancing drew couples from all over the state and even from as far away as Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia. The weather caused problems in 1966 as the parade, Firemen's Trap Shoot and the baseball games were cancelled due to rain. Bud Germ of Grand Rapids lined up the talent show with Pat Smiley, "Minnesota Hostess" for the Minnesota Brewers Association, as master of ceremonies. The Alberta Cater Dance Studio dancers will be performing.
• 1967 - After the kiddie parade, the kids participated in running and bicycle races and an egg throwing contest. Around 500 young people attended Friday evening's dance with music by Back Roads. Square dance club held a festival in Deer River. Local area callers include Bud Lelonek, Evelyn and Byron Cochran and Lynn Voigt.
• 1968 - The weather man really cooperated in 1968 and a "mammoth" croud was said to be in attendance. George Licke Sr. was Lions president. Robert Hulbert was Festival chairman with Robert Schuder serving as assistant chairman.
• 1969 - Eighty pounds of snapping turtle meat were not enough to feed the crowd at the turtle feed. Bud Germ, a KOZY radio announcer who had served as master of ceremonies for many Wild Rice Talent Shows, arranged a two hour program with 24 acts. Buddy Lawrence Band played for the adult dance.
• 1970 - Larry Schroth said several alumni will be playing in the band concert Sunday and he is helping arrange a local talent show. A newly formed group known as "The Vocal Minority" will perform. The white elephant auction with Glenn Shaw as auctioneer is expected to draw a large crowd. Anyone wishing to contribute to its success may leave articles at the news office. Oteneagen Saddle Club received first prize in non-musical unit division of the parade. (What's a parade without horses?)
• 1971 - Roger Moede was chairman of this event which started to commemorate the beginning og the Wild Rice Harvest when thousands of people go to the rice fields with canoes, rice boats and flails to harvest the rice. Several new Festival events were: Vets Club members served barbequed turkey and pork sandwiches and the Deer River Alumni Band entertained.
• 1972 - A flea market was held near Neville's Hardware. Theme for the kiddie parade was "Mother Goose."
• 1973 - A whisker contest was held. First National Bank promoted newest form of recreation in Deer River - golf - when they sponsored their float in the Wild Rice Festival parade.
• 1974 - Clarence "Red" Sjolund served as master of ceremonies for the talent show. Three-year-old Ericka Schroth sang a solo. The sweepstakes prize in the kiddie parade was won by a group of Alberta Cater Mattson's baton twirlers. Bill's Cafe won first prize in the float division of the parade. It featured a doughnut and a cup of coffee and was driven by Dona Humble.
• 1975 - Country western music prevailed at the two-hour variety show. Ten-year-old Dean Tibbetts was a real crowd pleaser. Lary Schroth was a soloist as well as master of ceremonies, his wife, Mary Jane, was piano accompanist, and their daughter, Ericka, was the youngest performer as a soloist and pianist.
• 1976 - This was the year the Festival competed with another large Deer River event. The Deer River area celebrated with Bi-Centennial of the United States with an unforgotten pagent and other events. On July 30 - Aug 1 the Lions staged the annual Wild Rice Festival, from Friday's turtle feed to Sunday evening's variety show. Many Bi-Centenial units were in the parade.
• 1977 - Despite unseasonably cold temperatures and daily rainfall, the 29th annual Festival went on as planned and most Lions were pleased with the annual event.
• 1978 - The Deer River Jaycees sponsored a dunking booth at this year's Festival. Kiddie rides sold for 30¢ for children 12 and under. The Shrine Cycle Patrol presented a cycle demonstration prior to the main parade.
• 1979 - This was an especially busy year around Deer River as the Lions sponsored the Wild Rice Festival with all the usual events. This was followed by an All-Class Reunion the next weekend. Sue Kozisek was Miss Deer River and canoe builder, Bill Hafeman was featured in one entry during the Wild Rice Festival parade.
• 1980 - Two new events were added to the Wild Rive Festival. Over 100 children participated in the bike rodeo and 90 people ran in the first annual Wild Rice Run.
• 1981 - Dawn Hall was one of the bike patrol officers in Deer River. Julie Kuck won the girl's ten-speed bicycle and Eric Goeken won the boys. Renee Gielen reigned over the proceedings as Deer River Wild Rice queen.
• 1982 - The Wild Rice Festival queen will compete for the state Junior Miss title at Owatonna in January. Leslie Ramos was chosen Junior Miss. The Deer River Archery Club introduced a new event, the archery clinic and turkey shoot.
• 1983 - Canoe-Bow race was a new feature of the Wild Rice Festival sponsored by the Deer River Archery Club. Oldest runner in the Wild Rice Run was Earl Luoma, 73, of Grand Rapids.
• 1984 - Earl Louma at 74 is oldest runner in the Wild Rice Run. He completed the five-mile run. The youngest runner was his grandson, Jesse. Doctor from Colorado won the 15K race with Dale Hillstrom of Remer second.
• 1985 - Festival dates have been moved to mid-July so more vacationers can take part in the Wild Rice Festival. Sandy Olson wins women's 15K Wild Rice Run.
• 1986 - Festival royalty from Homestead Nursing Home were Jenny Stillwell and Art Tucker.
• 1987 - Deer River Sportsmens Club had successful turkey feed with proceeds to be used for firearms safety program for sixth graders. West Range Vietnam Vets made a strong statement for help at the Wild Rice Festival parade.
• 1988 - Forty years ago the Wild Rice Festival began. Erika Schroth was chosen queen but as she was unable to attend the Festival runner-up Tammy Pietile and other candidates rode the float.
• 1989 - Wild Rice medalion hunt begins and is sponsored by Mark Minor, owner of Dairy Qwik, and Charles Ramos, owner of Anderson Jewelry & Gift. They wanted to provide one more fun thing for the folks of all ages to participate in as the Wild Rice Festival drew near. Chip Ott was the winner of the first hunt.
• 1990 - White Oak Rendezvous float received first place in Festival parade. Deer River Lions Club sponsored a sawdust scramble which had $200 dollars in coins buried in the pile. Forty-five down and dirty kids through age eight participated.
• 1991 - A POW-MIA baloon was on display, a horseshoe tournament was held, an Old Settlers Tent gave folks a place to sit and visit and the Deer River Fire Department sponsored water fights. Grand Rapids Flying Club brought their remote controlled airplanes to Deer River and entertained the crowd after the parade.
• 1992 - Lions Club members Roger Moede, Al Mason, Gene Sword and Paul Shaw applied their palatable expertise as they dug in with vigor to judge the pie eating contest during the Festival. Bicycle Rodeo drew 120 children. Kangaroo Court was held to raise funds for King's Courtyard to be built in Deer River.
• 1993 - The Festival was held June 25-27 in 1993. Winners at the Bike Rodeo, the Rodeo's 14th year, were Dustin Nelson, Aimee Storlie, Jessie Thompson, Kayla Latvala, John Hugh Ward.
• 1994 - No Miss Deer River was chosen this year so a group of former Miss Deer River's rode on the Lions float. Lions Walt and Barb Wandschneider were Festival Parade Grand Marshals. He is also mayor of Deer River. Hot air baloon rides were given adjacent to the high school.
• 1995 - The Variety show was given as a benefit for Myrna Peterson and Lee Isaacs who had recently been injured in separate accidents. Pepsi Shoot-out basketball was a new event at this year's Festival.
• 1996 - Emily Hemphill was chosen Little Miss Deer River at a pagent. Parade Marshals were Lions Florence Peck, Mark Giles and Halga Will. Second Wind Harmonica Bane performed at the Festival. It may have rained on the parade but this year's Festival was considered a great success.
• 1997 - The Lions Bingo, the Vets Honor Guard leading the parade, the Catholic and Methodist dinners, a carnival, variety show and possibly softball games are a few of the events of a Deer River Wild Rice Festival that have withstood the passage of 50 years. The Sportsmens Club and the Deer River Lions Club have provided many benefits to the sports programs and youngsters of the community. That's why it all started and hopefully will continue into the next 50 years.
• 1998 - The Wild Rice Festival was celebrated with the Deer River Centenial including an All Class Reunion. Deer River skies were lit up by fireworks for the first time in many years. The parade, led by Deer River Mayor Robert Lundeen was probably the longest ever having traffic at a stand still for two hours and 45 minutes. Breanna Taylor was the newly crowned Miss Deer River with Crystal McFadden first runnerup. The beard contest was revived with John Moore being the winner and John Platte and Don Zitka comming in second and third. With the Alll Class Reunion drawing about 1500 people this was a great weekend celebration.
• 1999 - Despite the rain the Wild Rice Festival featured spectacular fireworks sponsored by the Deer River Chamber of Commerce. The bike rodeo, tractor pull, medallion hunt, Wild Rice run were some of the usual events of the festival.
• 2000 - The kiddie Parade is drawing more entrants. Events included the turtle feed, sawdust scramble, kiddie tractor pull, church dinners, draft show, Bingo, parade, blood pressure checks, bike rodeo, flea market, softball tourney, wild rice run. The talent show featured an array of local talent. "A talent show is the neatest thing any town can do with the wealth of talented people available," said master of ceremonies Larry Schroth. "The only problem is to convince them to perform in front of an audiance.
• 2001 - Grand Marshal of the Wild Rice Festival Parade was Audry Moede who is the first Lion's female governor of the 5M-10 District. Bingo, talent or variety show, turtle feed and church dinners are a few of the activities that have been a part of the Festival for over 50 years. The midway rides are always an important part of the weekend. For the sportsminded there are softball and golf tournaments and the wild rice run.
• 2002 - Paul Shaw, a 50 year Lions Club member, was the Grand Marshall of the 2002 Wild Rice Festival parade. A new event this year was the Alumni football game. There were 51 who signed up to play ranging in age from 18 to 56. Men who graduated in odd years were the White Team, coached by Steve Ott and Scott Jacobson. Those that graduated in the even years were on the Black Team and they were coached by Don Jacobson and Gary Dahlberg. The game ended 44 to 6 in favor of the White Team.

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