Faribault Area Chamber Benches Nearing Completion

The Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce is getting closer to being able to place some historic benches in the downtown district.  Chamber Tourism and Main Street Program Coordinator Kelly Nygaard says, "I was just speaking with our manufacturer.  They are waiting on a couple more fasteners.  They are assembling the benches and we are going to be placing them in the next month or so."

Nygaard added, "They are beautiful benches.  They have cast iron sides.  Locally sourced steel, seats and backs.  We worked with local artists on the artwork creation.  Right now there are about 23 storylines that are going to be going up in the down district.  We do have a couple available for sponsorship yet.  The Faribault fur trade, the quarry industry."

"This will contribute to the beauty and functionality of our downtown." She explained, "The city council worked with us to select locations and make sure they were ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant."

They are all going to be located along Central Avenue.  Nygaard pointed out the program could be expanded to other areas of town in the future.

She says, "They are well crafted.  All locally made. They tell a beautiful history of our community."

The idea Nygaard added came out of the Faribault Main Street Design Committee which is a volunteer committee that works on the functionality and aesthetics of the downtown.  They determined there was not enough seating downtown. They decided instead of just standard benches that benches telling a local story would make them unique to Faribault.

On another topic Nygaard said the Chamber was happy the city was going to have a fireworks show this Saturday night.  They are shooting them from the track area by the grandstand in North Alexander Park instead of the traditional location of South Alexander Park.

Food trucks are also scheduled to be on the fairgrounds Friday and Saturday.

Temple's Concessions will have Cheese Curds and Corn Dogs.  There will be other vendors on hand also.

The hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday and 11:00 a.m. to start of the fireworks or shortly after the show is completed on Saturday.  The stands will be set up outside the safe zone of the fireworks.

Faribault Fire Chief Dusty Dienst tells us every year to leave the fireworks to the professionals.  He will be with us Friday to talk about fireworks and I believe Rice County Fair Secretary John Dvorak will be joining him to give us details about the variety of food to be experienced on the fairgrounds this weekend.