Hey Days will not return to Hayfield this year, but the celebration will continue.

The Hayfield Fire Department has taken on some of the events from Hey Days after the town celebration was canceled due to a lack of volunteers, according to Fire Chief Paul O’Brien.

“The Hey Days’ committee couldn’t get enough volunteers anymore,” O’Brien said. “People these days just don’t feel like volunteering as much as they used to.”

Yet the fire department refused to let its annual chicken fry fundraiser fall by the wayside.

According to O’Brien, the fundraiser is one of the fire department’s main sources of income.

“We have to have our fundraiser,” O’Brien joked. “We’ve got bills to pay.”

Although the department has only taken the parade, the firemen’s chicken fry, the street dance and the fireworks, organizers encouraged other businesses and organizations to take part in the activities.

“We’re running the main event,” O’Brien said. “We’ll keep it going if nobody steps up to do it.”

O’Brien said Hey Days started out about 26 years ago with just the firemen’s chicken fry, but after a while other businesses got involved, and the department stopped hosting the fundraiser due a lack of funds raised.

A few years ago, it started getting involved again, and this year when Hey Days leaders told O’Brien they weren’t hosting the weekend, he said the department would host the annual fundraiser.

O’Brien is optimistic about the weekend.

“It’ll be a fun weekend,” O’Brien said. “The weather looks perfect on Saturday. It should be good.”

For more information or questions, contact Paul O’Brien at 507-273-0986.

Schedule of Events

—Hayfield Fire Dept. Chicken Fry and Street Dance Saturday

Chicken will be served from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Fire Hall. For delivery call 477-2674.

—Field of Flags,

July 24 through 27

The ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. on July 26

Stan 507-272-3102

—Viking Pride Golf Tournament

Friday, July 25 Oaks,

10 a.m. Shot Gun Start

Lana 507-272-9891, Oaks 507-477-3233

—Wiffleball Tourney Friday, July 25

9 a.m. at the Pool Park

Kasey 507-259-0192

—Miss Hey Days Pageant Friday, July 25

7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church Hayfield

—Bingo

At the Hayfield Legion

Friday and Saturday night, all ages welcome

6:30 p.m.

—Boy Scouts Pancake Breakfast Fire Hall

7 a.m. – 11 a.m. Sat.

—Lions Brat Stand

At Earl Himle Park

Opens at 10 a.m. Sat.

—Volleyball Tournament

At Earl Himle Park

All day Saturday

Megan 507-951-6036

—Softball Tournament

At Pool Park

All day Saturday

Larry 507-272-2922

—Bean Bag Tournament Saturday

10 a.m. sign up

At Earl Himle Park

A.J. 507-273-0683

—Healthy Hearts in Hayfield 5K

At Earl Himle Park Saturday, 8 a.m.

Kathy 507-477-3655

—Princess/Pirate Party

At Veteran’s Park

10 a.m. to noon on Sat. Admission is a canned item for the food shelf.

—Parade 2 p.m. Saturday

Sam 507-456-0540, Steve 507-469-1463

—Street Dance

At the Fire Hall

8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

Music will be performed by Hitchville, wristbands are $5 in advance and $10 after 8:30 p.m.

—Beer Garden /Full Bar Saturday

5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., at the Fire Hall

—Fire Works at Dusk, Saturday

Anthony 507-251-8221