By Robert Williams

Editor

After completing the annual Back Roads Art Crawl last weekend, Vergas streets will be bustling again with shoppers this Saturday, Sept. 27, while the trails will be busy with ATVs and UTVs during the all-terrain ride that has grown each year of the Hairyman Festival, now in its fourth iteration.

Side-by-side and off-road vehicle operators will take over the Vergas trails during the festival’s signature event—the 45-mile trail ride that takes off from and finishes at Loonies Pub. The ride begins at noon. Riders will be fed breakfast sandwiches from the Vergas Lions from 9:30-11 a.m. The ride lasts approximately two hours

Registration for the trail ride begins at 9 a.m., at Loonies. Cost is $20 per machine. Prize drawings will be at the Baseball Field at 5:15 p.m. Winners must be present to win. This year’s grand prizes include four tickets for the Nov. 9 Baltimore Ravens at Minnesota Vikings game in Minneapolis and a pair of two different North Dakota State University Bison football games, among other prizes to be drawn.

The Vergas baseball field will be full of activity from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Early birds can get a healthy start to the day with Hairyman Yoga by B-Still at 9 a.m.

From 1:30-5:30 p.m., the park will feature a variety of food and beverage trucks: Sweet Tenderloin; Johnson’s Dogs and Ice Cream; MW Pastry; Wild Walleye; Old-Fashioned Ice Cream; Spanky’s; Proof, Bucks Mill Brewing and the Vergas Community Club.

Matt Clementson returns to carve the signature prize of the Hairyman Raffle with his chainsaw carving. Visitors can watch the carving come to life while Clementson and his crew work and a $10 raffle ticket will enter each guest into a drawing for the sculpture to be held at Billy’s Corner Bar and Grill at 7 p.m.

The Hairyman Market will be open featuring unique vendors selling their local products while around the ballpark free games will be available for kids and adults: Hammerschlagen; Giant Jenga and Yahtzee; a ninja course; Boys and Girls Club games; face painting; hair braiding; a caricaturist; pumpkins and backdrops for photo opportunities.

The Hairyman Amazing Challenge registration begins at 1 p.m., for teams of 2-5 people. Families are welcome. Entry is $10 per team and prizes are awarded to the top three teams.

The bean bag tournament also begins at 2 p.m., with pre-registration available at the Vergas Liquor Store or at 1 p.m., at the ballfields. Entry fee is $25 with a 32-team limit and 100 percent cash payouts.

Other free events include a mechanical bull from 2-5 p.m.; a kids’ costume contest at 3 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for creativity, craftsmanship and a “wow factor.” Participants receive a free pumpkin and other prizes will be awarded.

At 3:30 p.m., a drone will complete the Hairyman Ball Fall (ping pong drop) with white balls for adults and orange for kids.

Events conclude with the Hairiest Person and Best Mullet contests at 4:45 p.m., and the Hairyman Mating Call contest at 5 p.m.

Live music will be provided by Matt Aakre from 1:30-5:30 p.m., at the ballfield; the Crop Dusters play Billy’s from 5:30-9:30 p.m.; and end the night back at Loonie’s Pub for the Smoking Joe Band from 8 p.m.-midnight.

Visit the Vergas Community’s Club’s website or Facebook page for more information.