KTD puts some new twists on Friday family fun

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WORTHINGTON — On a recent evening, a committee of King Turkey Day volunteers spent a few hours tossing frozen turkeys at a target, manipulating toilet plungers with their knees and rolling eggs across the concrete.

These silly antics were all for the sake of revamping the Turkey Day Cathlon — a competition that has been part of the King Turkey Day festivities for six years. Renamed Fowl Play, the Olympics-style event will feature all new contests.

“One of the games is a target turkey toss, where we’ll have circles in a target, and you have to toss the turkey and get it inside the target,” said KTD Board of Directors and midway-special events committee member Kevin Prins. “There will be different points awarded for getting it in different circles.”

Fowl Play competitors will also have to showcase their abilities to collect rolls of toilet paper on a plunger and bounce pingpong balls into cups, among other special skills.

“We just wanted to change things up,” Prins said, “and we had some new people who were willing to come up with some new ideas. We want to keep it fresh. I think there are five games total.”

Fowl Play is open to 10-member teams from the community, with the fun starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday on Second Avenue in downtown Worthington. As of late last week, there were still openings for three teams to participate. Interested teams should contact the Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, 372-2919.

But Fowl Play is just a small part of the Friday night King Turkey Day fun. At its conclusion at the same location, spectators will just have to look up for the descent of the Pingpong Ball Drop, beginning at 7:30 p.m. A thousand numbered balls will be dropped — or maybe launched is a better word — from the top of the Masonic building.

Each number corresponds to a prize that can be claimed on the spot. Among the “big prizes” to be distributed are two bicycles, $50 cash, a slow cooker, Case fleece jacket and one-night stay at the Holiday Inn Express.

“There’s going to be a new twist in launching the pingpong balls,” hinted Prins, “but we’re not going to give that away.”

People will also be launching beanbags in KTD’s first beanbag tournament, set for 8 p.m. both Friday and Saturday evenings in an area near the beer garden. Prize will be a cash payout, and participants can sign up on the spot.

Another revamping has taken place in the festival’s midway. It has become increasingly difficult to secure a carnival, Prins said, because most have closed up shop for the season or headed south for the winter by mid-September.

“So we’re going with inflatables, and they sound really cool,” Prins said, listing off amusements such as trampoline basketball, moon walk, bungee run, giant slide, balloon typhoon, mechanical bull riding and a make-your-own flying saucer station. “There are 19 events in all. Kids will be able to purchase wristbands in advance for $10, and that is going to be the neat part, because parents won’t have kids coming and asking for more money to go on rides. Ten dollars will get them into everything, all weekend.”

The inflatables and other kid-friendly amusements will be stationed down Ninth Street and on the Nobles County Government Center plaza. A monster screen showing of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday on the plaza.

Wristbands are available for purchase at Hy-Vee, United Prairie Bank, Bob & Steve’s Shell, Fareway, Guidepoint Pharmacy, First State Bank Southwest, W-2’s and Paycheck’s Treasure Chest.

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