Nokomis Days 2024: That’s a wrap!

Some people spend the entire year looking forward to the State Fair. I prefer Nokomis Days.
Our celebration falls on the first weekend of August, but the planning gets underway in the cold, dark days of winter. Month after month, our volunteers meet to brainstorm and plan. But, more importantly, we rally our neighborhood businesses and service organizations to action to help celebrate the community we love.
This was the fourth year for our Nokomis Days (formerly Crazy Days) reboot, and it was the biggest by far. More than 20 storefront businesses and service organizations participated in every corner of the neighborhood – and we held our first scavenger hunt to make sure you found them all!
On top of our brick-and-mortar locations, we also welcomed 14 local vendors to our artisan market and another 13 to our Oxendale’s Market.
There were pancake breakfasts, music concerts and festivals, public art installations, faith-based opportunities, a dog rescue event, a car show, free massages, bicycle maintenance sessions, food and drink specials, rubber ducky ponds with prizes, free gelato, and beer collaborations – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We even held our first art contest for kids, bought yard signs, and introduced our new inflatable mascot. (But we still feel bad about accidentally scaring any dogs; sorry!)
And you came out in record numbers despite the heat.
We didn’t know what to expect when we decided to reboot Nokomis Days. But, every year, it keeps getting better and better. It takes a lot of time and energy to bring something like this to life. It also wouldn’t exist without our passionate businesses and service organizations.
Each year, when Nokomis Days arrives, everyone gets a chance to see what I already know: We have the best businesses, service organizations, and neighborhood in the city. So, we may not be serving anything on a stick (yet), but we’ve got so much more.
NEBA secretary and volunteer Heidi Van Heel is a longtime resident of Nokomis East. She served as the Nokomis Days Planning Committee Chair. NEBA is currently meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, 6 p.m., at the McDonald's Liquor community space. A happy hour or a coffee time is also held once a month at neighborhood restaurants and cafes.

View more photos from Nokomis Days at https://www.longfellownokomismessenger.com/stories/nokomis-days-2024,82702