Skål! It’s Tivoli Fest time in Elk Horn

 by Renée Brich, Lifestyles
 ELK HORN — Elk Horn will celebrate all things Danish American at the 43rd Annual Tivoli Fest Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27.
 Friday’s Happenings 
 The celebration begins Friday with a new event at the Fire Station, Olive or Twist from 3 - 11 p.m. Mixed drinks and Iowa, Denmark, and domestic beers will be available.
 Danish hot dogs will be for sale while supplies last starting at 6 p.m. Live music by Nielsensation, featuring 50’s, 60’s and 70’s rock and country performed by Exira and EHK Alumni will be from 5 - 7:30 p.m. Hired Guns, featuring local legend Mark Christensen, will take the stage from 8 - 11 p.m.
 Friday is the deadline for the rhubarb contest, new to Tivoli this year. There are three different categories, baking (cookies, bars, cakes, etc.), sauces (jams and puddings), and WTR (What the Rhubarb? miscellaneous category).
 Entries must be prepared at home and delivered to the Elk Horn Town Hall Friday, May 26 from 2 - 5 p.m. Judging will start at 5:30 and prizes will be awarded to first and second place in each category. All entries will be transported to the Fire Station, to be sold with proceeds going to Elk Horn Fire Department.
 Saturday’s Events
 Opening ceremonies will take place at the Danish Windmill at 8 a.m. Saturday. With help from the local Color Guard, the 2023 Tivoli King and Queen Wayne and Janell Hansen, will raise the Danish and American flags while both national anthems are performed. Mayor Keli Hansen and Tivoli Chairperson, Stan Jens will conduct the ceremony.
 The M & M Fun Run - 5K from Mill to Mermaid will take off at 8:15. Registration is $5 at the parking lot north of the Mill from 7:30 - 8 a.m. The run ends at the Little Mermaid fountain in Kimballton.
 The Tivoli Parade will begin at 11 a.m. This year’s Grand Marshal is Jan Jensen, 1987 EHK graduate and current Associate Women’s Head Basketball Coach at University of Iowa. The parade will also feature floats, bands, Tivoli Fest Royalty, vintage cars and tractors, fire trucks, horses, Hans Christian Andersen, and other surprises.
 Tour the Viking encampmant all day Saturday, and interact with Viking interpreters working about the grounds and in the blacksmith shop.
 Folk dancing, songs, and music will be performed on the Mill Entertainment Stage, featuring Danish Villages Folk Dancers at noon and Omaha’s Scandanavian Folk Dancers at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
 Show N Shine will feature cars at the Elk Horn Park from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
 New this year is a pickle ball clinic and tournament at 3 p.m. at the Elk Horn Park.
 Danish sandwiches will be for sale at the Elk Horn Town Hall from noon - 4 p.m. Photos of past Tivoli Fest Royalty will be on display.
 The Elk Horn Library will host children’s activities from noon - 3 p.m. Entries from the LEGO Contest will be on display.
 The New Century Art Guild & Canteen and GalleryVeteran’s Art Exhibit will be have a Veterans Art Exhibit at 10:30 a.m. Art classes and fun for all ages will begin at 1 p.m., and the Polka Police Band will have a tribute to Jim O’Keefe from noon-2 p.m.
 Strøget -  Danish Walking Street and City Park
 The Open Air Street Market on Broadway Street will be filled with vendors from far and near. From 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., shop a variety of art, antiques, foods, handmade and commercial goods, flea market items, and more. Food stands will be serving from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. The Tivoli Country Store will have a bake sale from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and retail and museum shops featuring Danish collectibles, apparel, quilts, gifts, wine and more will be open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
 Also new this year is a Scavenger Hunt. Pick up a contest sheet at one of the participating businesses: Copenhagen Friday, Egg Krate, Grace on Main, Kringleman, Log Cabin Quilt Shop, Love You Mor, Museum of Danish America, Norse Horse Tavern and Old Danish Workshop. Share your adventures with selfies, and post on Tivoli’s Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or TikTok, turn the full card into a participating business. Drawing for a prize will be held Saturday during the dance.
 Food and Fun at the Fire Station
 Æbleskiver and Medisterpølse will be for sale from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Olive or Twist will feature drinks from 11 a.m. - midnight, folk music by Dwight Lamb, Bill Peterson and Tom Carlson will perform at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. BBQ by Master Grillers Catering will be for sale from 5 p.m. until sold out. Tivoli Water Pong hosted by the Museum of Danish America intern staff will be from 4:30 - 5 p.m.
 Tim Van Scayk will perform live music from 5 - 8 p.m. and the Shifting Gears Band will play from 8 p.m. - midnight.
 The Tivoli Fireworks spectacular by The Waymire Brothers Fireworks will begin after dark.
 Free Admission
 Free admission will be offered at the following locations:
 The Danish Windmilll:   Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
 The  Museum of Danish America from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.
 The Geneaology and Education Center on Main Street: Friday and Saturday from  9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
 Bedstemor’s House: Friday and Saturday noon- 4 p.m.
 Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park, all day Friday and Saturday.