VESTA — The community of Vesta will be celebrating a milestone this weekend – their city’s 125th anniversary. From the look of things, people are excited, organizers said.

“The buzz around town is just electric,” said Brooke Guetter, a member of the 125th celebration’s organizing committee. Two days of events, including free games and musical entertainment kick off tonight in Vesta.

“We’re having fireworks (Friday) night. I think people are really excited about that,” Guetter said. It’s not something that the small community has very often, she said.

“Probably the last time would have been 25 years ago, for the centennial,” said organizer Jean Gladitsch.

Some of the events planned for the 125th celebration will have connections to Vesta’s past, said Guetter and Gladitsch. Some of the fun on Friday night will include “old time” games, like three-legged races and sack races, to take people back to an earlier time. “We wanted to make it simple fun,” Guetter said.

There will also be a Vesta pageant featuring local youth, organizers said. As part of the pageant, the participants all wrote essays, organizers said.

On Saturday, the celebrations will continue with events like a vendor show, and a tractor and car show.

“We’re very happy with the vendor show turnout,” Gladitsch said. “There’s quite a variety of vendors.”

Organizers said more than 50 units had signed up to participate in the 125th anniversary grand parade on Saturday afternoon.

Finishing out the night will be a dance featuring music by Urbandale Lane. The modern country band has opened for about 12 national acts, and should put on a great show, organizers said.

Planning for Vesta’s 125th anniversary was something that started a few years back, said Vesta Lions Club member Jimmy Penske. The Lions and the Vesta Booster Club worked together on the project.

“We want to give a huge shout out to our Lions Club,” for their work in planning the 125th anniversary celebration, Guetter said. Organizers also worked to make sure that the events were free to the public.

“We just want people to come and enjoy themselves,” Guetter said.

Schedule of events

Friday (Events at City Park)

Old School games

Inflatables

Free popcorn by Vesta City Council

5-7 p.m.: Music by Alan Lang

7-10: Music by DJ Bob

7:00: Pageant

Dusk: Fireworks by Flashing Thunder

Saturday

Food trucks at City Park

Minnesota Fallen Heroes display at Community Center

Museum display at Community Center

9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Craft and vendor show at City Park

9-3: Inflatables at City Park

10-3: Tractor and car show at City Park

10:00: Sand volleyball tournament

11, Noon and 1: The Zoo Man at City Park

11-1: Dane’s Dutchmen at City Park

11:30: Pedal pull sign-ups begin

1-3 p.m.: Free bingo at Community Center

4: Grand parade. St. John’s youth will serve root beer floats after the parade at the church.

5-7:30: Benjamin Raye & the Empire Players

7 p.m.: Beanbag tournament

8-Midnight: Urbandale Lane