Warden celebrates Community Days, Labor Day

WARDEN - For a day off from work, there were plenty of people out Labor Day morning celebrating Warden Community Days yesterday.

Between a buttermilk and maple syrup-fueled pancake feed starting at 6 a.m. Monday, as well as tournaments in pool, volleyball and basketball throughout the weekend, the city of nearly 2,700 people celebrated the three-day weekend in the grandest of styles.

"We don't have a parade but once a year, but that's always been Warden Days," said resident Duane Howard, of Warden. "It's all about the community, and down at the park they'll have vendors and things," he said.

Parade entries of all shapes and sizes made their way through town yesterday, including Grant County Fire District 4, area politicians, Warden High School's band and football team, and a number of classic cars.

Potato designers had the chance to participate in the first-ever "Spiffy Spud" competition, which was held at Volunteer Park.

"The parade went quite smoothly," parade announcer and local pastor Ed Backell said. "We were a little light on floats this year, though. Apparently there are some other parades on the same weekend, so some years we have a lot more floats."

Backell moved to the area a few years ago, and this is his second year announcing the parade.

"The parade was fun and we had a good number of entries this year," Backell said. "That part was really well done."

The pastor said he had to wait in line at a local restaurant Monday afternoon, something different during other weekends without the festival, he said.

"It was quite the boon to the local economy," he said.