This upcoming weekend will mark the 39th anniversary of the Rae Valley Days celebration held just outside Petersburg.
Co-founder and event organizer Larry Petsche said Sunday the event came into being following a meeting 40 years ago.
“Rae Valley Days developed after a big meeting we had in March of 1981 that Steve Stokes and I got started,” he said.
“A large group of guys came to the meeting with the purpose of preserving our heritage in Northeast Nebraska. During that meeting, Herman Schmitz came up with the name, and it all took off from there.
“Today we serve about 12,000 meals, and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger each year. Our vendors and guests travel from many surrounding states like South Dakota, Kansas, Colorado, and Iowa. I have counted over 300 tractors in attendance the last two years. Some drive them in, some haul them in, but a lot of people come along with those tractors.” To read all about the upcoming Rae Valley Days turn to this weeks edition of the Elgin Review.
