Another year of Minden Street Fair memories

Smells of barbecued beef and pulled pork competed for attention with the teriyaki-soaked chicken being grilled a couple of booths over at the 21st annual Minden Spring Street Festival last weekend. The Goodi Girls, Ronda Nonda and Cheryl Huett, were hawking their fresh squeezed lemonade in large glasses garnished with half of a lemon, while funnel cakes covered in powdered sugar and Hillbillie Kettle Korn were just a step away in the next booth. Giant-size hot dogs smothered in homemade chili was available in front of the Bank Parlor & Pub and just a few doors down in front of Tumblewinds Antiques & Collectibles, German foods were on the menu for a change of pace in normal street fair offerings.

Esmeralda Avenue, normally peaceful and quiet on weekend mornings, was hidden in a sea of white crafters tents as more than 120 artisans and crafters displayed their work for the buying public. Jewelry of every description, custom designs on clothing, metal art, paintings, photography, the aroma of potpourri and handmade soaps, lotions and skin care products were available.

John Wegman, a crafter of rustic birdhouses, sat in his booth surrounded by drift wood. Wegman comes all the way from Walnut Grove, Calif., for this event every year.

"I collect all the wood from the beaches up and down the Pacific Coast. I tumble and polish them smooth to give them the look you see," Wegman said.

Each of the finished houses were individually designed and decorated as to what the wood dictated. No two are ever alike, he said.

At 10 a.m., music filled the air with the Sound Bytes offering '50s, to '70s classics. Feet tapped and hands clapped.

"Dave and I just love to come to this street fair in Minden," Steve Dromensk, one half of the Sound Bytes duo said of his partner Dave Kibler and himself.

"We perform all over Northern California during the year, but we look forward to returning here every year," he said. "The Valley has such a small-town atmosphere and we enjoy it here so much. Everyone is always so friendly and appreciative of what we do."

Up Esmeralda Avenue and surrounding Minden Park, the third annual Rappin' to Minden was in full swing with the largest display of inline powered vehicles in Nevada. Hosted by the Northern Nevada Chapter of Inliners International, this is the third year for the club to sponsor the Rappin' to Minden event. Sunday morning, not many cars were on Minden's streets as most of the Northern Nevada Inliners were competing in the Deuces Wild Poker Run and a tour through historic Genoa and Markleeville which offered $100 for the winning hand acquired on the run and a total of 10 prizes for the event.

For more information about upcoming events in the town of Minden, contact Roxanne Stangle at 782-2444. For information about the Northern Nevada Chapter of the Inliners International contact Dennis Bargman at 782-7074.