Summer festival spotlight: A northern Minnesota celebration of Paul Bunyan enters its 75th year
The Paul Bunyan statue in Akeley is about 25 feet tall and sits — well, kneels — outside the Paul Bunyan Historical Museum.
Meg Martin | MPR News 2016
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This week our summer festival spotlight series takes us to Akeley, a small northern Minnesota town of 400 people, located just 40 miles south of Bemidji.
Akeley claims to be the birth place of Paul Bunyan. So it’s only fitting the town celebrates the giant lumberjack every summer. This year will be the 75th year of Paul Bunyan Days.
MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talked to Akeley Chamber of Commerce President Peggy Davies about the festivities, which kick off Friday and last all weekend.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: This week, our Summer Festival Spotlight series takes us to Akeley, Minnesota. Akeley is a small northern Minnesota town of about 400 people. It's about 40 miles south of Bemidji. And Akeley claims to be the birthplace of Paul Bunyan. So it's only fitting that they celebrate the giant lumberjack every summer.
This year will be the 75th year of Paul Bunyan Days in Akeley. The festivities kick off Friday. They're going to last all weekend long. Joining us now is Peggy Davies, the president of the Akeley Chamber of Commerce. Peggy, welcome.
PEGGY DAVIES: Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: So--
PEGGY DAVIES: Thanks for having me.
CATHY WURZER: --gosh, Peggy, there are at least seven cities that claim they're the birthplace of Paul Bunyan, as you know.
PEGGY DAVIES: I know.
CATHY WURZER: Akeley, what's Akeley's story?
PEGGY DAVIES: Well, it all started with the Red River Lumber Company and a man by the name of Laughead, L-A-U-G-H-E-A-D. Was kind of a-- well, in today's language, would be a marketer. And he developed this whole paper line, anyway, of Paul Bunyan. And so we claim it was our-- we had the first paper claim to Paul Bunyan. And so we claim him as his birthplace then.
CATHY WURZER: OK, I'll go with it. That's fine.
PEGGY DAVIES: Good. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] So, 75 years ago, Paul Bunyan Days got its start, I'm betting with a group of probably some business guys, right?
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes, and some citizens and local citizens. It started in 1948, which would not make it 75, but we skipped one of the years there with COVID. I believe it was '20 or '21. I can't remember for sure.
CATHY WURZER: Sure. So what themes do we have for Paul Bunyan Days? Obviously, it kind of focuses on the big guy, but how does it all play out?
PEGGY DAVIES: Well, we have three days-- well, 2 and 1/2 days, pretty much, of activities going. On Friday, June 28, we start with a fish fry at Paul's Patio that's put on by the Akeley Lions Club. And that's always very successful. And we have a kiddie parade at that evening, and then we have a youth dance also with all kinds of prizes for that as well.
CATHY WURZER: Do you have any Paul Bunyan look-a-like contests? I'm curious.
PEGGY DAVIES: We haven't lately. We have had in the past, but not in the last couple of years. No.
CATHY WURZER: OK, OK. If you had to choose one of your favorite events of Paul Bunyan Days, what would it be?
PEGGY DAVIES: I'm really partial to the kids' fishing contest, which happens on Saturday, and then also the Grand Parade on Sunday.
CATHY WURZER: I bet the kids' fishing contest is adorable.
PEGGY DAVIES: It is, yes. We have between 30 and 40 kids, all on the big Akeley pier, trying to catch a fish.
CATHY WURZER: So, how many people usually come out to Akeley for this?
PEGGY DAVIES: I would say between 500 and 1,000. It kind of depends on the weather.
CATHY WURZER: So it kind of, obviously, increases the population by a few, to say the least.
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: I think we have 35 vendors this year, so that'll be awesome.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, are we talking food?
PEGGY DAVIES: Food and craft and whatever they're selling or making, mm-hmm.
CATHY WURZER: OK. So how--
PEGGY DAVIES: It's a variety.
CATHY WURZER: Peggy, how'd you get yourself involved in this? I mean, obviously, you're the president of the Chamber of Commerce, but have you been involved in Paul Bunyan Days in the past?
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: The chair of the Paul Bunyan Days Committee for years was Denise Johnson and her staff, a local gal. And she pretty much put it in the paper that she was tired. She needed somebody else to step up to the plate. So I was that person, and I was part of the chamber. And so we took it on.
CATHY WURZER: Good for you.
PEGGY DAVIES: And I've done it for about, oh, 11, 12 years now, although I'm no longer in charge of it.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, but good for you. Say, final question here, why is it important-- I personally love little towns. Why is it important to have small towns have something like Paul Bunyan Days, or any festival for that matter?
PEGGY DAVIES: I think because it draws-- [CLEARS THROAT] excuse me. It draws people in. It draws families in. And it's fun. And it's just a nice way of celebrating our community.
CATHY WURZER: Well said. Peggy, is there a place that folks can get information on Paul Bunyan Days? Any website?
PEGGY DAVIES: I would say the best bet would be to go to Facebook.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, OK. So--
PEGGY DAVIES: Our website isn't up to date right now, but our Facebook page.
CATHY WURZER: OK, City of Akeley--
PEGGY DAVIES: Paul Bunyan Days.
CATHY WURZER: The Paul Bunyan Days Facebook page. OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: Got it. Well, Peggy, have a great festival.
PEGGY DAVIES: Thank you so much.
CATHY WURZER: Peggy Davies--
PEGGY DAVIES: Come visit us.
CATHY WURZER: Absolutely, you got it. Peggy is the--
PEGGY DAVIES: All right.
CATHY WURZER: --Akeley Chamber of Commerce president. Paul Bunyan Days is this Friday through Sunday in Akeley.
This year will be the 75th year of Paul Bunyan Days in Akeley. The festivities kick off Friday. They're going to last all weekend long. Joining us now is Peggy Davies, the president of the Akeley Chamber of Commerce. Peggy, welcome.
PEGGY DAVIES: Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: So--
PEGGY DAVIES: Thanks for having me.
CATHY WURZER: --gosh, Peggy, there are at least seven cities that claim they're the birthplace of Paul Bunyan, as you know.
PEGGY DAVIES: I know.
CATHY WURZER: Akeley, what's Akeley's story?
PEGGY DAVIES: Well, it all started with the Red River Lumber Company and a man by the name of Laughead, L-A-U-G-H-E-A-D. Was kind of a-- well, in today's language, would be a marketer. And he developed this whole paper line, anyway, of Paul Bunyan. And so we claim it was our-- we had the first paper claim to Paul Bunyan. And so we claim him as his birthplace then.
CATHY WURZER: OK, I'll go with it. That's fine.
PEGGY DAVIES: Good. Thank you.
CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] So, 75 years ago, Paul Bunyan Days got its start, I'm betting with a group of probably some business guys, right?
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes, and some citizens and local citizens. It started in 1948, which would not make it 75, but we skipped one of the years there with COVID. I believe it was '20 or '21. I can't remember for sure.
CATHY WURZER: Sure. So what themes do we have for Paul Bunyan Days? Obviously, it kind of focuses on the big guy, but how does it all play out?
PEGGY DAVIES: Well, we have three days-- well, 2 and 1/2 days, pretty much, of activities going. On Friday, June 28, we start with a fish fry at Paul's Patio that's put on by the Akeley Lions Club. And that's always very successful. And we have a kiddie parade at that evening, and then we have a youth dance also with all kinds of prizes for that as well.
CATHY WURZER: Do you have any Paul Bunyan look-a-like contests? I'm curious.
PEGGY DAVIES: We haven't lately. We have had in the past, but not in the last couple of years. No.
CATHY WURZER: OK, OK. If you had to choose one of your favorite events of Paul Bunyan Days, what would it be?
PEGGY DAVIES: I'm really partial to the kids' fishing contest, which happens on Saturday, and then also the Grand Parade on Sunday.
CATHY WURZER: I bet the kids' fishing contest is adorable.
PEGGY DAVIES: It is, yes. We have between 30 and 40 kids, all on the big Akeley pier, trying to catch a fish.
CATHY WURZER: So, how many people usually come out to Akeley for this?
PEGGY DAVIES: I would say between 500 and 1,000. It kind of depends on the weather.
CATHY WURZER: So it kind of, obviously, increases the population by a few, to say the least.
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: [LAUGHS] OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: I think we have 35 vendors this year, so that'll be awesome.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, are we talking food?
PEGGY DAVIES: Food and craft and whatever they're selling or making, mm-hmm.
CATHY WURZER: OK. So how--
PEGGY DAVIES: It's a variety.
CATHY WURZER: Peggy, how'd you get yourself involved in this? I mean, obviously, you're the president of the Chamber of Commerce, but have you been involved in Paul Bunyan Days in the past?
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: The chair of the Paul Bunyan Days Committee for years was Denise Johnson and her staff, a local gal. And she pretty much put it in the paper that she was tired. She needed somebody else to step up to the plate. So I was that person, and I was part of the chamber. And so we took it on.
CATHY WURZER: Good for you.
PEGGY DAVIES: And I've done it for about, oh, 11, 12 years now, although I'm no longer in charge of it.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, but good for you. Say, final question here, why is it important-- I personally love little towns. Why is it important to have small towns have something like Paul Bunyan Days, or any festival for that matter?
PEGGY DAVIES: I think because it draws-- [CLEARS THROAT] excuse me. It draws people in. It draws families in. And it's fun. And it's just a nice way of celebrating our community.
CATHY WURZER: Well said. Peggy, is there a place that folks can get information on Paul Bunyan Days? Any website?
PEGGY DAVIES: I would say the best bet would be to go to Facebook.
CATHY WURZER: Oh, OK. So--
PEGGY DAVIES: Our website isn't up to date right now, but our Facebook page.
CATHY WURZER: OK, City of Akeley--
PEGGY DAVIES: Paul Bunyan Days.
CATHY WURZER: The Paul Bunyan Days Facebook page. OK.
PEGGY DAVIES: Yes.
CATHY WURZER: Got it. Well, Peggy, have a great festival.
PEGGY DAVIES: Thank you so much.
CATHY WURZER: Peggy Davies--
PEGGY DAVIES: Come visit us.
CATHY WURZER: Absolutely, you got it. Peggy is the--
PEGGY DAVIES: All right.
CATHY WURZER: --Akeley Chamber of Commerce president. Paul Bunyan Days is this Friday through Sunday in Akeley.
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