Merrill’s annual Crazy Daze will be celebrating the Psychedelic ’60s as activities abound around town Thursday.
The Merrill Park & Recreation Department is bringing back the dunk tank to downtown this year from noon-6 p.m. Dunkees include city officials, businesspeople, police officers, firefighters and Park & Rec personnel.
Also downtown, Dorinda’s Dance Studio will be performing, and karaoke will be offered. About 30 vendors will be set up downtown – the most in several years – and local merchants will be bringing their wares out onto the sidewalk for an old-fashioned sidewalk sale. Local non-profit groups will be selling food downtown as well.
Park & Rec has also brought back the children’s jumpy castle, which will be set up between Skipper’s and Blooming Wishes. There will also be karaoke at First Street Coffee Station, where you can play bingo or wear a sandwich board for a free drink.
Crazy Daze isn’t limited to downtown, though.
“Stuff is going on on all sides of town,” said Merrill Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbe Kinsey.
Pine Ridge Mobil is involved this year, giving away tickets for a free kids movie at the Cosmo (Alvin & the Chipmunks will play continuously throughout the day). Walmart will be sponsoring their annual One in a Million dog contest as well.
On the West side, Ballyhoos will present The Dukes as Crazy Daze evening entertainment.
The Chamber picks the theme each year and lines up the vendors. The downtown merchants group collects funds to pay for cleanup. The new Discover Downtown Merrill group has rallied downtown businesses to increase the enthusiasm for Crazy Daze.
“We’re excited because the participation level is up this year and the vendor level is up,” Kinsey said. “There’s some new stuff thrown into the mix this year. Hopefully, we’ll have good weather and some of these new attractions will pull people to Crazy Daze.”