Two Clear Lake events call it quits

Snowmobile races may return; DixieFest less likely

by Marianne Gasaway

Organizers of two longtime local events, the Jack Helgren Memorial Iowa LeMans Championships and the Lakeside DixieFest, have announced they will not hold their events in 2020.

“Several of the original organizational group have decided to ‘retire’ from the event,” a message posted on “The Jack’s” social media explained.  The event was formed as a memorial to Jack Helgren, an area businessman, avid snowmobiler, former dealer/racer and promoter of the sport in the area.  The family event included a ride around the lake, LeMans style racing, kitty kat races and a vintage show.  Proceeds went back into the community to support projects ranging from Honor Flights and Chamber of Commerce fireworks to snowmobile club activities.

“We want to thank all of you who have supported us by sponsoring, volunteering, or participating in the event over the last 10 years.  It has been a great thing to see the old fashioned racing and snowmobiling that Jack loves.  We’re so happy to see the appreciation for the vintage sleds, and racing being passed on to the younger generation that attended The Jack Race events.”

In fact, some of those who have enjoyed participating in the annual wintertime event say they hope to continue the tradition.

Several members of The Jack Race committee say they are planning to continue snowmobile racing on Clear Lake.  Members of two local snowmobile clubs, the North Iowa Snow Seekers and Hancock County Snowmobile Association, have assumed responsibility for the event, according to Mindy Eastman, treasurer for the North Iowa Snow Seekers.  A date has been tentatively set for Feb. 8, 2020.

“We haven’t decided on a new name for the race, but an announcement will be made soon,” she said.

The return of a jazz music celebration is less likely.

After 27 years, Lakeside Festivals, LTD., the producer of Clear Lake’s Annual DixieFest, made the decision to discontinue the annual jazz festival, citing in part, rising costs and an aging audience, result-

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember][wlm_ismember]

ing in gradually diminishing attendance.

“Since its founding in 1993, the event has lost more than a generation of fans that grew up appreciating Dixieland Jazz, as well as musicians that enjoyed performing it,” Jim Tjaden, festival chairman and founder, pointed out while making the announcement.  “It was a tough decision we felt needed to be made.”

“The Lakeside Dixiefest was organized with three primary goals.  To promote tourism in Clear Lake, to provide free professional family entertainment for area residents, and to help sustain what has been called ‘America’s Original Art Form.’  Over the years, there have been registered guests from 35 states, entertained by outstanding bands from not only the region and major Midwest cities, but from as far away as France and Australia.  The event gained the reputation of being one of the Midwest’s premier jazz festivals and continued to be one of only a handful of free-to-the-public festivals in the country,” said Tjaden.

The Clear Lake festival joins other similar events which have also subsided, including events in LaCrosse, Wis., and Albert Lea, Minn.

Lakeside Festivals, LTD. has operated as an all-volunteer non-profit corporation, and was honored to be inducted into the Iowa Volunteers Hall of Fame.

Tjaden noted DixieFest was made possible by the generous sponsorship of local businesses, area charitable foundations supporting the arts, and individual donations.

“Particularly noteworthy are three businesses that provided major sponsorship over the entire 27 years: Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co., CL Tel, and Thrifty White Pharmacy (formerly Corner Drug Store).  Other current major sponsors include Kingland Systems, the Bertha Stebens Foundation, Dean Snyder Construction Co., Doug and Deb Roberts, and the Winnebago Industries Foundation,” said Tjaden.  “We also wish to thank the City of Clear Lake for providing and maintaining an outstanding venue.  Visiting bands were always highly complementary of both our facilities and lakeside setting.  We greatly appreciate the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter for years of excellent coverage of our event.  We have enjoyed working with the Clear Lake Art Center’s ‘Art in the Park’ event and the Clear Lake Library’s ‘Iowa Storytelling Festival’ and wish them continued success.  We regret having to make this decision and sincerely thank attendees, sponsors and volunteers that made the Lakeside DixieFest a success for nearly three decades.”

[/wlm_ismember]