Kurth gives Ice Cream Days logo bold look

Angie Kurth

With only two pages to turn on the calendar, Le Mars' annual Ice Cream Days celebration will be geared up and ready to go.

The dates, June 18-20, are packed with activities and plenty of opportunities for ice cream and fun.

Gehlen Catholic High School junior Angie Kurth kicked off her Ice Cream Days early as the 2009 Ice Cream Days logo design winner.

How did she come with the winning design?

"I looked at past designs that won, and realized that they seemed to choose something simple, a to-the-point design," Kurth said. "That's what I focused on this time."

With sketch pad in hand, Kurth soon had what she thought was a winning design in bold colors.

"I choose brown for the cone and chocolate ice cream," she said. She choose green and purple because she felt they went good together.

She made her original sketch in pencil, and the used colored pencils and markers for the final design.

"I enjoy drawing. I've drawn doodles since I was a little kid," she added.

She is the daughter of Randy and Liz Kurth, of Le Mars.

Kurth is active in school activities, including band, choir, dance team, Students for Life, Large Group Speech and dance. She also studies and teaches dance at The Turn Around.

"You can do anything you aspire to do if you put the time in it," she added.

Kurth's winning design means she will be riding in the 2009 Ice Cream Days parade, waving to the crowd, and wearing a T-shirt with her design.

New this year to Ice Cream Days is an all-day Grill 'n' Chill Rib Rally set for 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Olson Cultural Event Center in downtown Le Mars.

Local amateur chefs will have racks and racks of ribs on grills in the outdoor venue.

Preparations get underway at 9 a.m. with judging at 5:30 p.m. Visitors are welcome to come and take in the sights, smells and sounds of the variety of ways to prepare smoked meats and maybe get a few tips to take back to their home grill.

Primebank's annual Ice Cream Social Thursday evening, June 18, is just one of many familiar events returning to this year's festivities and brings out the ice cream for young and old, with music performed by the Mearl Lake Orchestra.

Then it's on to the Olson Cultural Event Center for entertainment (Kid Kar racing and computerized hunting simulations) and an outdoor movie.

Friday features the annual YMCA 3-on-3-Basketball Tournament, Smile Contest & Ice Cream Social at Good Samaritan Society-Le Mars, and the Cleveland Castle Family Fun Fest.

Friday night at the Olson Cultural Event Center will feature the rock band, "Me in Motion" and entertainer Heath McNease with headline exhibitions by Tim Byrne (Skateboard) and Vic Murphy (BMX Bike). The event offers family fun and entertainment for all ages.

Other returning favorites include Saturday's Art in the Park, and "Scoops of Fun" kids production area, open house at the Arts Center, root beer floats at the Plymouth County Historical Museum, kite flying and the Friday evening Fishing Derby at the Le Mars Municipal Park Pond.

The parade on Saturday will feature the Su Fu Du drumline, Mr. Gooseman & His Gaggle, Gehlen Catholic marching band, floats, antique tractors and a new entry Clarinda Academy Drum Line and Color Guard.

The second annual Tom Skram Memorial Fun Run moves to Saturday evening, at the Le Mars Recreation Trail and the streets of northeast Le Mars. Proceeds fro entry fees and donations will go toward the fight against pancreatic cancer in honor of the late Tom Skram, former Le Mars resident and Gehlen Catholic teacher and coach.

Saturday night entertainment closes with the traditional Municipal Band Concert at 7 p.m in Foster Park, and Dueling Pianos/River Rats Jim Steinworth and Steve Alm performing in the Knights of Columbus Hall starting at 8 p.m. Admission is free.