A recap of the weekend included events that were challenged and changed by the weather cancelling many church services, at least 2 local concerts and closed major highways and area roads with blowing and drifting snow. Sleet and mist proceeded the snow in our listening area, but further south by just a few miles, at least 4-6 inches were the norm. With the majority of the impact reserved for Saturday evening into Sunday morning , the Polar Plunge in Burnsville did take place Saturday afternoon which involved members of the Hastings Police Department and the Dakota County Sheriff’s department as they raised donations for area Special Olympics teams. The concert at the Hastings Arts Center was cancelled for Sunday as was the much anticipated OVation Mixed Chorus that had been planned for a Sunday concert at the First Presbyterian Church. That concert, according to organizers will be rescheduled for the fall. At the Hastings High School, the old adage of the show must go on was put into effect.
Despite the cancellation of 2 groups of choirs, both based in Illinois, a local group from Waconia brought their choirs to even out the roster and thousands watched the daylong presentation of more than 16 groups of showchoirs from Minnesota and Iowa. Bringing a total of 6 school buses from the Southern Iowa community of Ankeny clebrated Ankeny’s Spectrum choir take the Grand Champion Spot. Bemidji’s Vocalmotive finished in second and Ankeny’s Eternal Rush finished in third at the Swingin on the River Show Choir event held on Saturday.
(Pictured is the celebration from Spectrum Show Choir with their traditional performance of a mass Hokey Pokey)
