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Jerry Doyea, left, of Detroit Lakes, checks out spinning metal signage at the Metalcraft By K vendor stand at Street Faire of the Lakes in Detroit Lakes on June 2, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Street Faire at the Lakes draws thousands to downtown Detroit Lakes over the weekend

By Michael Achterling Jun 5, 2023 | 9:18 AM

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Street Faire at the Lakes seemed to be one of the weekend’s main attractions along a four-block stretch of Washington Avenue in downtown Detroit Lakes on June 2-3.

With more than 140 different artisan vendors, food stands and other pop-up awnings, hundreds of onlookers continued to make their way up and down the city’s main thoroughfare even though temperatures in the high-80s.

And as many shoppers perused each stand’s hand-crafted wares, they may have heard a unique instrument being played by one of the musicians booked for the weekend, Paul Imholte, of St. Cloud.

Paul Imholte, of St. Cloud, plays the hammered dulcimer during Street Faire at the Lakes in Detroit Lakes on June 2, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

 

 

Imholte said he plays about a dozen instruments, but the hammered dulcimer seems to be a favorite of passers-by.

“The hammered dulcimer, it’s what I play the most at festivals,” said Imholte. “Because it’s actually easy to play, it draws attention and it carries well.”

He also said his started his musical journey began decades ago after he saw his grandfather play the fiddle.

Paul Imholte, of St. Cloud, plays the banjo during Street Faire at the Lakes in Detroit Lakes on June 2, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

“My grandpa was a fiddle player from North Dakota,” he said. “He played at barn dances and house parties, so I trace some of my music through him.”

Cindy Bober, owner of Bubble Hunter, an all-natural soap and bath bomb maker, had a vendor stand through the weekend and said she got into soap making as a way to help her own health issues.

“I, myself, have eczema and really dry skin so I heard that hand-made soap was good for your skin and it’s been wonderful,” said Bober. “I don’t have nearly all the issues I had before.”

Hand-made, all-natural soap from Bubble Hunter sits on a display table at Street Faire of the Lakes in Detroit Lakes on June 3, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Bober said the Street Faire was a great way to meet potential new customers who also may be looking for natural remedies for their own skin care issues.

A block away from Bubble hunter, another vendor’s stand featured colorful, metallic pinwheels spinning, which couldn’t help draw a crowd as the sun’s light reflected off each of the moving surfaces.

Cathy Kratzke, part owner of the family-run Metalcraft By K., of Perham, said they’ve been coming to the Street Faire of the Lakes for 15 years, but this year it seemed extra crowded.

“It’s outstanding,” said Kratzke. “We’re just thrilled to see all of the people coming, people from all over. People from Virginia. People from all over that are here at the lakes.”

She also said they’ve run into people during this year’s festival that brought them a custom-metalwork they had purchased from them 20 years ago, which the family was happy spruce up and make it like new.

“We did have a gentleman come and his sign was 20 years old,” she said. “And we just had to tune it up for him and he was ready to go. He was so excited. He was excited more than a kid coming out of a candy store. He was so excited his loons were going again.”

The return on the Street Dance on Friday night, featuring the band Get Over It, also drew nearly 200 people to the Eagles Club Beer Garden to dance the night away.

 

 

 

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