By Kendra Fikse, summer intern
Sunny skies and warm weather made for a beautiful backdrop to Olympic-themed Lynnville Day on Saturday, June 15. This year’s celebration was mostly held at Old Settlers Park because of the traffic detours routed through Lynnville.
The day kicked off with the Color Run/Walk 5k at 8:30 a.m. Participants wore white shirts and were covered with chalk dust at different points on the course and after crossing the finish line, ending with much more colorful clothing than they started with.

Nash Tompkins, son of Mason and Bailey Tompkins, is doused in bright color splatters after the early morning color run.
In the afternoon, the rest of the day’s events started with Nicholas Denmark singing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Shortly after, a parade started at Diamond Trail Golf Course and went through Old Settlers Park, led by Grand Marshal Keegan Schnell, the beneficiary for this year’s Smoke On The Water. Schnell rode with Lynnville Fire Chief Mark Van Wyk. There were also several antique tractors and decorated vehicles, including a pickup for Smoke On The Water and an ATV for the 1st State Bank. The children watching were excited for the candy that was thrown out.
There were games and a bounce house to entertain the kids, sponsored by Diamond Trail Children’s Center, which also received any funds the games raised.

The 1st State Bank crew of Caroll Jansen, Teri Morris, Kim Vos, and Marla Van Rees stand next to the bank's patriotic-themed parade entry.
When Lynnville Day-goers decided they wanted food, they could get pizza from Fire on Wheels or a hamburger or hot dog meal from the Lynnville Fire Department. A lucky few got free food for answering trivia questions correctly. The first winner was Emma Roberts for the 15-years-old and younger question, “Who is the current mayor of Lynnville?” She received a slice of pizza for her correct answer.
Later on, the Larry Dunbar Magic Show took place. Blades were (harmlessly) put through an assistant in a magic box, seemingly endless supplies of cards somehow disappeared, and volunteers from the crowd participated in a variety of magic tricks.
As the stage was reset, families trickled out of the building to let their kids have fun on the playground until 7:30 p.m., when Paul Davis provided live music to end the night.