---

   If you thought celebrations were over with the Fourth of July, get ready for another week of fun and games! It’s time for Hackensack’s annual Sweetheart Days.

    Celebration begins on Wednesday, July 9 with Hackensack’s all day Crazy Days celebration. Take advantage of the great deals all across town – you would be crazy not to! Participating businesses include Barrel and Vine, Blue Ox Coffee, Charng’s, Second Home, Kensack Karpets, Mark’s Market, Rendezvous Brewing, Sun N’ Fun, Southside Fuel Plus and Hackensack Lumber & Hardware.

   Hackensack’s July Detour Days will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., vendors will offer handmade gifts, jewelry, food products and more. At noon, Rendezvous Brewing will unveil a new beer for the special occasion. Try your luck with a classic Bingo game at the Hackensack Legion at 6 p.m. Just down the street, there will be live entertainment by Teddy Arunski from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rendezvous Brewing. 

   Events slow down a bit for Thursday, July 10. Take a chance to stock up on protein for the week at the Hackensack Legion’s meat raffle at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., Hudson the Magician will dazzle you with a tableside performance at Birchwood Char House. Be ready to be amazed!

   Head over to the Hackensack Hub for community coffee from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, July 11. Kicking off the evening is the weekly Lakeside Concert series at Lions Pavilion City Park from 5 to 7 p.m. Picking up on the live music train at 7 is Dallas Anderson at Birchwood Char House and Ramona Fritz at the Hackensack Legion.

   Saturday, July 12 is a jam-packed day starting early with the Lending Library Book Sale at Sun N Fun from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. At 10 a.m., the day’s events really kick off near the shores of beautiful Birch Lake. A bounce house will be available for the kids until 2 p.m. on the lawn by the Lions Pavilion, a craft vendor fair on the lawn by the City Park until 3 p.m. and the C-2 Pro & AM Stock Class Canoe Derby Race on Birch Lake. To register for the race, head to the Visitor’s Center at 9 a.m. Also at 10, local MN author of Blue Harvest Jack Kraywinkle will have a book signing by the Craft Fair until 12:30 p.m. Once Kraywinkle has wrapped up, author of Murder at Pelican Lake Marjorie Mathinson and author of A Month of Sundays Richard Sherry will have their own book signings until 3 p.m. All authors will be in the Northwoods Arts Council tent, located on the corner next to the Lion Statue.

   When you get parched during the day, food trucks and a beer tent will be set up along 1st Street from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

   The 9th annual Sweetheart Days Dachshund Derby commences at noon by the Pavilion. Come and see some great classic cars at the Car & Motorcycle Show in the park from 1 to 4 p.m on 1st Street. When that wraps up at 4, the Hackensack Fire Department will be serving up BBQ at the fire station. Doug Allen Nash will perform live music at the 1st Street Pavilion from 7 to 10 p.m., and when the sun sets, a beautiful fireworks show will cut through the dusk over Birch Lake. 

   Sunday, July 13th’s events begin at 10 a.m. with the C-1 and Mixed Race Canoe Derby Race on Birch Lake – registration is once again outside of the Visitor’s Center at 9 a.m. For the competitive folk, a cornhole tournament will kick off by the 1st Street Pavilion at 1 p.m. The first place team will win a prize of $300, second will head home with $200 and third will recieve $100, so make sure to bring your A-game! “Growing up in Hackensack” will be at Rendezvous Brewing from 1 to 3 p.m. Wrap up the day’s events at another meat raffle at the Hackensack Legion at 5 p.m.

   Monday’s events are short and sweet, with a Hackensack Lions meat raffle at the Muni and a dinner at the Union Congregational Church (UCC), both starting at 5 p.m. After UCC’s dinner, enjoy a hoe-down show with special guest Charley Wagner from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

   Tuesday, July 15 picks up the pace, starting off at 9 a.m. with the Farmer’s Market at the Hackensack Hub until 1 p.m. Beginning at 11 a.m. is the weekly Kids Fishing Contest at the pier on Birch Lake, which will wrap up at 12:30 p.m. If the kids aren’t interested in fishing, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be kid’s games at the Lion’s Club Pavilion. Enjoy live music at the Hackensack Legion from 5 to 8 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. the fifth annual pet parade begins on 1st Street with the Sweetheart Days Parade following at 6 p.m. Try your luck at the Hackensack Legion’s raffle drawing, starting at 7:30 p.m. 

   Whether you are in town for just a portion or the entirety of Sweetheart Days, there’s activities for the whole family! 

   For more information, call the Hackensack Chamber at (218) 675-6135 during office hours or visit www.hackensackchamber.com.

---