The 150th Sesquicentennial of St. John’s the Baptist Catholic Church Celebration and the 2009 Johnsburg Jamboree, Freund General Store Grand Re-Opening, and Harvey Heimer Chicken Bingo Polka Music Festival was a huge success last weekend (July 11 and 12).

With my own eyes, I counted 50,000 people in attendance.

The road through Johnsburg was lined with people and vehicles from Roger Gerber’s place south to Gordy’s repair in Stacyville on Sunday for the grand parade.

The parade celebrated history, heritage and family. My favorite parade entry was the Golombowski Family Marching Band. Of course, sisters Suzanne and Maureen made a splash for the Monitor Review newspaper.

They can’t get enough attention.

The Smith family had a great float showing life on the farm from bygone days.

The Heimer family showed off the best buns despite competition from the float behind them.

Once again, the Taiopi Fire & Rescue Squad got lost and wound up in the parade.

There was local royalty, including grand marshals, dairy princesses and the Holstein Lady.

Thankfully there were no politicians.

The traveling Johnsburg Jail was empty. No beardless men left in the congregation.

Marvin Smith said Ed Noterman won an award for his beard.  I understand the judges are investigating charges Ed’s beard was doctored with Hair Color for Men.

More candy was tossed to the parade crowd than is allowed in some states.  My guess is the parade was sponsored by dentists.

I bought a brat from two young girls dressed in prairie garb. “I hope this brat ain’t 150 years old,” I told the girls. “No,” one of them told me. “It’s as old as you look.”

Mike McCabe strong-armed me into buying a couple of chances at Harvey Heimer’s Chicken Bingo games. Don’t know if I won. Keep waiting for the results on ESPN’s Sportscenter.

After the parade, nobody moved. They couldn’t with a record Jamboree crowd on the church grounds. There was good food, a bake sale, brats and beer, polka music and fellowship.

Apparently, not everybody knows I can’t see well and I had to apologize to a woman in tight jeans. I was reaching for my grandson, Zeke, when I accidentally grabbed her right rear pocket.

Touring the Freund General Store was a step back in time, so well-preserved is the historical treasure. So happy were the owners that people came to visit the store, they offered donations in jars to visitors. I pocketed a twenty myself to show them I appreciated the tour.

Of course, it was not all fun and games at the Church Sesquicentennial.

People who took a cemetery walk Saturday “heard” from their ancestors who recounted life on the prairie settled by German immigrants. What a touching tribute it was.

Alumni of the Johnsburg school could walk the hallways once again and there was, of course, the church itself.

Stained-glass windows, alter, wooden pews, and balcony make it a church to remember.

It’s over now, but memories remain. Great job everyone!

They say, on a clear summer’s night, if you listen carefully you will hear a man’s voice coming from Johnsburg.

That will be the voice of Albert Smith.Will someone please help Albert down from the tree?  Shirley has work waiting for him at home.

And now it’s time for the Tom Mullenbach Estate Auction. It starts 4 p.m. today at Adams. As everybody knows, St. Thomas was a legend, and here’s the opportunity to buy something truly touched by the legend himself.

See ya there.