Senior Bean Feed set for Friday, August 19 at Itasca County Fair

The annual Itasca County Fair Senior Bean Feed will be held at noon on Friday August 19 at the Trailhead Building on the fairgrounds. This event is sponsored by the Grand Rapids Jaycees this year and is FREE to those 55 and older. This event started in 1929 during the depression when local farmers wanted to do something to help out the older residents of the county. A meal of coffee, baked beans, sloppy joes, cookie, and a vegetable was offered FREE to all over 55 at the fair. As years passed the Bean Feed was taken over by the Old Settler’s Association, the Grand Rapids Moose Lodge, the fair board, Elder Circle, and now the Jaycees. This event didn’t occur twice- in 1946 due to the polio epidemic and 2020 during covid. This year Farmer’s Market will be set up around the Trailhead for folks to purchase farm fresh items. The OVERTONES quartet out of Roseau will perform from 11-3 doing Gatlin Brothers and Statler Brothers tunes along with some Gospel.