Erda Days to take over ballpark this weekend

The summer tradition of Erda Days is back for another round of good fun, food and friends this weekend. Although it is a community event, people from all areas — not just Erda — are welcome to join in.

“We encourage everyone to come out and participate,” said Diane Judd, organizer of the event that has been going on for at least 20 years.

Erda Days will be kicked off Friday night with a dinner of roast pig and all the trimmings at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen B. Warr Memorial Ballpark for those 16 and older. The roast pig is a specialty of the Warr family and this is the third year they will be preparing it, Judd said.

The parade, an Erda Days’ favorite, will be Saturday morning. Line-up begins at 9 a.m., with judging at 9:30 a.m. The parade will then begin at 10 a.m. at the corner of Liddell Lane and Erda Way.

“It rivals any parade in the county,” said Nancy Folta, who has organized the parade for as long as she can remember.

She said the parade seems to get bigger and bigger every year. For those in the competitive spirit, there will be a grand prize, first, second, third and fourth prizes, and honorable mentions awarded. Grand prizes will receive movies and popcorn and honorable mentions will receive a 2-liter bottles of pop.

“My favorite is the parade cause it just gets bigger and bigger every year,” said Diane Judd, organizer of Erda Days. “It’s neat to see all the people come out and enjoy the parade.”

Eva Vorwaller will be the grand marshal leading the parade. Vorwaller has been a longtime Erda resident and has raised her family in the community.

Judd said when deciding who should be grand marshal, they consider people who have been involved and living in the community for a long period of time.

At 11 a.m. there will be a dedication of a pioneer memorial at the Erda chapel, with the unveiling of the monument on the west side of the church. The monument will honor those buried in unmarked cemeteries in the area, and will also honor the pioneers who first settled the Erda area.

The ballpark will be the center of activities for the rest of the afternoon, beginning at noon. There will be games for children, a rock climbing wall and a giant slide.

Fish ponds, a ring toss, and a face painting booth with hair coloring and temporary tattoos are among some of the fun activities for younger participants.

The softball games, which Judd said is a highlight for many, will begin at 1 p.m.

And don’t forget about the famous Erda burgers which will be available all day long. Judd said her mother started cooking the burgers about 30 years ago with a “secret sauce” and they’ve been a big hit ever since. There will be a meal deal available which will include an Erda burger, brownie, chips and a drink.

Items that will be raffled off will be on display beginning Friday night and continuing through the day Saturday. At 4 p.m. on Saturday the tickets will be drawn. Anyone who would like a chance to buy a ticket can do so throughout the weekend when the items are on display.

Judd said Erda Days used to be held at the church years ago, but because it has grown so much they moved it to the ballpark to allow more space for activities.

The charge is $1 for entrance into Erda Days and the children’s games are an additional 25 cents. The money earned from the raffle from the previous year pays for the commercial games, making them free to participants. The only other charge is for food and drinks.

And while there are plenty of activities for people to do at Erda Days, Judd said many come just to catch up with one another.

“A lot of people just like to visit and see people they haven’t seen in a while.”

Sarah Miley: swest@tooeletranscript.com