87th annual Northwest Water Carnival kicks-off with thousands showing up for concerts and demo derby

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival officially kicked-off to big crowds Friday night with about a thousand people showing up in City Park for performance from the man in black himself.

The Church of Cash, a Johnny Cash tribute band, headlined the last of five, free summer Trucks and Tunes concert events, hosted by Project 412, at the bandshell in City Park.

Jay Earnest, lead singer for Church of Cash, said he could tell that crowd was just excited to see a nice show in the park on a wonderful evening.

“When everybody is here and they want to be a part of the night,” said Earnest. “They are enjoying what Detroit Lakes has to offer, and we were just lucky enough to be the band, to be here at this spot. I’m enjoying it. They are enjoying it. And it’s just a beautiful summer day in Minnesota.”

Earnest said he and his bandmates can play up to 150 concert dates across the country and internationally every year.

He also had an at-the-ready answer for a question, as a tribute to the famed folk/country artist, has come up more than once: Do you have a favorite Johnny Cash song?

“It was when Johnny Cash played with the Highwaymen and it’s the theme song to Highwayman,” he said.

Following the concert in the park, the crowd then migrated to Lakeside Tavern and Brewery on West Lake Drive for the official Detroit Lakes Jaycees street concert with Kissing Company.

The event drew hundreds and attendees had their first opportunities to fill their $60 unlimited beer mugs, which can be purchased from the Jaycees at their event table and grant the purchaser free refills for the entire 10-day festival.

On Saturday, it was time for crashes and destruction at the Becker County Fairgrounds for the Water Carnival’s annual demo derby event.

By 6 p.m., the grandstand and bleachers were packed with spectators, which was one thing Rachel Kohler, the Jaycees organizer for the event, was glad to see.

Small trucks and their drivers prepare to do battle during the 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival demolition derby at the Becker County Fairgrounds on July 15, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Small trucks and their drivers battle during the 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival demolition derby at the Becker County Fairgrounds on July 15, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

“As a chair, you always get really nervous that nothing is going to work out, you won’t get cars, you won’t get people,” said Kohler. “But, it turned out good. A late start, but good.”

Kohler grew up watching her family compete in demo derbies and jumped at the opportunity to host the event this year.

“Demo-ing has been in my family for a long time,” she said. “I have four cousins that demo, a brother that demos, and we’ve been to every single demo at the Becker County Fair and the Water Carnival probably ever since I was a little tike. We never miss it, so going into this year, I knew this was the event I wanted to chair.”

Small trucks and their drivers battle during the 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival demolition derby at the Becker County Fairgrounds on July 15, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

Handmade trophies to be handed out to the category winners of the 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival demolition derby winners are displayed. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

One of the new additions to this year’s derby was a raffle car, which allowed spectators to buy a $20 raffle ticket for their own chance to drive in the compact cars demo derby final. By the time the events were underway, the Jaycees had sold more than 75 tickets for the demo driving opportunity.

The idea of the raffle car came from demo derby regular Josh Wurst, who said he just thought it would be a great way to use his talents to raise money for the Jaycees and get more people involved in the sport.

Drivers participate in barrel races at the Becker County Fairground on July 15, 2023 as part of the Northwest Water Carnival. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

“I figured I wanted to get more people involved with the sport,” said Wurst. “And nowadays, not a lot of kids, or anyone for that matter is really mechanical, so I figured get this raffle car built.” 

Wurst said he has been running in demo derbies for the last 13 years, but his love and passion for demo derbies started in the front row of the Becker County Fairgrounds just like many kids who showed up on Saturday night.

Firefighters push a side-by-side ATV back onto its tires after it flipped over during the barrel races, a part of the Northwest Water Carnival in Detroit Lakes on July 15, 2023. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

“Young people, they look up to the guys that are driving the cars and they say, ‘when I grow up, I want to drive a demo car,'” he said. “That’s the way I was. I sat in that bleacher over there in the center for many, many years.”

As for the raffle car, the lucky winner was Chirsty Chilton of Vergas, who ended up holding her own until the very end of her demo round. She finished as the runner-up during the compact car final.

Drivers make their way around the barrel race course at the Becker County Fairgrounds on July 15, 2023, part of the Northwest Water Carnival in Detroit Lakes. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)

An ATV speeds down the straight away after completing the barrel race course at the Becker County Fairgrounds on July 15, 2023, part of the 87th annual Northwest Water Carnival in Detroit Lakes. (Michael Achterling / KDLM News)