Iowa weather couldn’t have been better for Solon this past weekend if it had been dialed in, as the 50-year celebration of Beef Days was in full swing July 16- 17.
Although the downtown event represented the 48th Annual Beef Days (it has been celebrated continuously for 50 years.) Attendance was anticipated to be over 20,000 and the popular event came roaring back from 2020 with a fun-filled, family-oriented weekend of activities, great food, and entertainment. It was one for the books.
Friday’s events kicked off at 5 p.m. at the bandstand with the sounds of Nutsy and Lori, a singing duo playing a variety of pop standards from the 1950s through current easy listening hits.
The evening was filled with the sights and sounds of a country festival topped off with the wafting aroma of sizzling steak dinners. One of the weekend’s highlights was the Hay Bale Toss and it didn’t disappoint. There was much talk among spectators that bale tossing records were going to be shattered this year.
At 7 p.m. a crowd quickly formed on E. Main St. in front of the bandshell, where over 30 participants entered the three-category Hay Bale Toss contest.
Entrants demonstrated a variety of bale tossing styles and form, as well as bringing brute strength to the contest — throwing the 60-80 lb. bales over the measured bar.
The women’s hay bale toss fielded five contestants, and was won by Shelby Gunnels, who managed to heft the bale 9’-ft. to take home the top prize.
The next category, men’s age 50-plus, took over with four contestants. Serena Mandon, 86, was the oldest contestant to enter the fray and he got a little help from officials hefting the bale with him. More importantly, he demonstrated the “can do” spirit of the event. The category was eventually won by Brad Kruse who managed to clear the 9’-6” mark.
The men’s open contest lasted nearly an hour with over 20 participants and was truly a site to behold. Jami Wolf, nine-year Beef Days committee member, managed the sign-up table for the event, said four Iowa Hawkeye football players had signed up.
Many of the entrants made tossing the bales look easy at lower heights. As the bar was placed higher, eliminations were more frequent and contestants were tiring as the field was reduced. Crowd favorites included, Riley Moss, Michael Braghammer, Dylan Martin, Mitchel Manning, Tyler Elsbury, and Tyler Linderbaum. In the end, it came down to Elsbury and Linderbaum, a popular Solon son, going neck-to-neck. Both men had trouble clearing the 14’-6” mark, and in the end, a tie was called at 14’-ft. This was a true test of strength and stamina, and was certainly a highlight of the festival.
Saturday’s Parade, 5K and One Mile Fun RunThe day started off at 7:30 a.m. with the popular Beef Days 5K and One Mile Fun Run. The two races drew 384 runners. Winner for Overall Male of the 5K was Jay Welp, of Iowa City, with a time of 15:14; and winner for Overall Female was Ashlyn Keeney, of North Liberty, with a time of 19:32. Camden Lyons, of Solon, won the One Mile fun run with a time of 6:10.
Parade featured over 70 entrants Parade entrants were called to begin queuing up around 9 a.m. as the streets of Solon began lining up with spectators to watch the highly anticipated event.
Over 70 entrants signed up to be in this year’s parade, and long-time Solon Beef Day’s Committee member, and treasurer, Don Ellis, did a super job announcing the entries as they made their way through the parade route.
The parade was led by the Solon American Legion Stinocher Post 460 Color Guard. Many civic, local businesses, area scouting troops, and other organizations demonstrated their support with colorful parade entries. Solon Community Schools’ sports teams were also well represented with floats featuring boys’ baseball, girls’ softball, wrestling, and football teams. The Solon Marching Band also delighted parade goers with a well-appreciated appearance.
Another parade favorite was Miss Iowa, Grace Lynn Keller, who was also available after the parade to sign autographs at the Kid’s Corner/announcer’s tent.
Many of the entrants tossed candy and goodies to an appreciative crowd made up of people of all ages. Several nearby towns and cities displayed emergency vehicles in the parade with horns blasting and lights flashing. Some of the local departments, included: Tri-Township Fire Department (Solon), North Liberty Fire Department, Swisher Fire Department, College-Putnum Township (Ely), Lisbon Fire Department, Mt. Vernon Fire Department, Linn County Rural Fire Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department.
Family-oriented activities and fun for allSaturday was filled with family-oriented activities that included a horseshoe tournament, water ball fights, bean bag tournament, 3-on-3 soccer tournament, big wheel races, and kids water ball fights.
The weekend’s music line-up of Nutsy and Lori, Trophy Dads, Blame Not the Bard, and Gimmikk, had audiences enjoying a variety of music from classic rock and country to Irish folk.
Mayor Steve Stange, said he was pleased with how the festival was going, and that he hadn’t received any news of issues or arrests during the event. “Everyone cares and looks out for one another,” he said. “This is one of the best festivals in the area.”
He gave credit to the Beef Days Committee saying they were a great group that puts on a super event. “People are proud of their community here, and when they say they’re going to do something, they do it right,” he said.
“People here truly care for one another and that’s why this is great place to live.”
The success of the 50th Beef Days celebration is a testament to that.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Jay Crump

The Tri-Township Fire Department (Solon) makes its way along the parade route to a delighted crowd.