Gandy Dancer Days: Aug. 9th – Aug.10th
Gandy Dancer Days is just around the corner which got me thinking…
What exactly IS a Gandy Dancer?
By definition, a Gandy Dancer is railroad slang for “a member of a railroad section gang that lays or maintains track.” Where did it come from? Between the years of 1915 and 1920 railroad workers were often referred to as ‘dancers’ in reference to the rhythmic movements as they worked to repair the track*. They were known for singing and swaying along in harmony while on the job, similar to the way military cadences are performed. Gandy, on the other hand, is still somewhat unexplained. The existence of Gandy Manufacturing Company, which supposedly produced tools used by section gangs, has not been a substantiated claim. Another possibility is that they earned their name from a machine belt company in Baltimore, Maryland. Others speculate that the crews used tools made by the Gandy Tool Company of Chicago. Nobody seems to be able to agree on just where the name originated from. Regardless, the workers were well-known across both Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The Gandy Dancer Trail
Burnett County is home to a little over 20 miles of the infamous 98-mile Gandy Dancer Trail that runs from St. Croix Falls to Superior. The trail was, as you can imagine, built on a former railroad corridor. Each year, in Webster Wisconsin, the community comes together to celebrate how the Gandy Dancers contributed toward building the foundation of America. People gather with their friends and family to play games, enjoy food, music, arts, crafts and more!
This year, the event will be held on August 9th – 10th at the Webster Fair Grounds.
Schedule of Events:
Friday, August 9th
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Open Ping Pong Play – Webster Ping Pong Group – Webster Community Ctr
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Bake Sale – Webster Lions Auxiliary – Webster Community Ctr
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Wildlife Art Exhibit/Demo – Jimmy Springett Next to Moonglow Cafe Main St.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Sloppy Joes/Pie Ice Cream – Grace United Methodist Church Muskey Ave
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Used Book Sale – Friends of the Library – Larson Family Library
11 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Dunk Chair – Webster Area Chamber of Commerce (WACC) – Fire Department
Saturday August 10th
8 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Flea Market – Emily’s Luncheon Lakeland Ave/North of Town
7 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Pancake Breakfast – Ballfield Concession stand – Fairgrounds
8 a.m. – 5K Run/Walk – Webster Education Foundation – Sign up online at websteref.org
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Arts & Craft Show – American Legion Post 96 – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – (all day) – Horse Showdeo Mckenzie Mustang Saddle Club – Fairgrounds Arena
10 a.m. (’til found) – Hunt for the Golden Spike – Ace Hardware – Clues posted at Gandy Dancer Book Store
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Bicycle Safety Roadeo – Webster Police Dept. – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Brats/Hot Dog Sales – American Legion Otis Taylor Post 96 – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Veterans’ Museum – American Legion Post 96 – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Children’s Book Fair – Larson Family Library – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Used Book Sale – Friends of the Library – Larson Family Library
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Pony Rides – Sponsored by Webster Lions/TJK Pony Rides – Fairgrounds
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Root Beer Floats – American Legion Auxiliary Unit 96 – Fairgrounds
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Dunk Chair – WACC – Fairgrounds
12 – 4 p.m. – Dan Zimmer Band/Beer Garden – Central Burnett County Fair Board – Fairgrounds
12 – 4 p.m. – Bumble Bee Buzz Art Camp – Puppet Farm Arts – Ballfield Concession Pavilion
1 – 2 p.m. – Kids’ Sawdust Piles – WACC – Fairgrounds
1 – 4 p.m. – Brad Marks – Zia’s Pavilion St. Rd 35 No of Webster
5 p.m. – Webster Lions’ Meat Raffle – Zia’s
7 p.m. – Rex Cactus Band – Zia’s
There are no Sunday activities this year. Schedule subject to change based on weather and unforeseen circumstances.
For more information on the event click HERE.
* Definition of Gandy Dancer from: www.dictionary.com/browse/gandy-dancer