It might be hard to believe, but Tivoli is already here! We’ve done everything we can to get the windmill ready for what will hopefully be another spectacular event. Most of our concrete pathways, in addition to the entertainment stage and our HC Andersen bust have been deep cleaned. The mill’s catwalk has been re-stained, and we’ve repainted both mill doorways. More exhibit panels have been added to the mill’s hoist floor (third floor) and even the Vikinghjem. We’re expecting at least 50 vikings this year, and the line of tents along Main St. should be quite the sight.

               As these words are being written, the forecast for this coming weekend is not too promising. The whole week shows scattered chances of storms and Friday and Saturday are not projected to have a lot of wind. We hope to see the skies clear, and that the wind may pick up so we can drive our millstones. We intend to hold grinding demonstrations throughout Friday and Saturday in the wind is there. Optimal wind speeds for grinding start at about 18 – 20 mph. We can grind with less for show, but it’s not the same. In the mean time we’re hoping for the best and either way, people will get to see the sails turn all weekend. It’s free admission all weekend, and the mill will be open to walk through. Our tour video will be playing every 15 minutes on the hour for those looking to get the full experience with a guided tour.

               The rest of the mill’s regular programming will go on. We’ll have our local Danish dancers and the Omaha Scandinavian folk dancers on the stage Saturday afternoon. The Vikings will be around Friday and Saturday with demonstrations and tours, plus live battles next to the former hotel at 1:30 and 4:00 on Saturday. We’ve stocked up on Viking gear, so don’t miss the opportunity to get your own swords, helmets, and shields in the gift shop. Tivoli t-shirts will be sold at the windmill with the exception of Friday evening. They’re available now, and we encourage people to get them early to guarantee size selection. They will be sold at the fire station Friday night. On Saturday, we will have a booth setup outside selling t-shirts and soft drinks to help keep the lines shorter inside the gift shop.

               We’re also ready to announce that the mill’s boneyard has finally been cleared. We would like to thank Andy Anderson, Chris Fredericksen, and Kodie Haas for their help in clearing the old timbers. A few good pieces have been salvaged for various projects, but the rotten wings and cap frame are finally gone. We will begin working on the construction of our new entertainment building once Tivoli has passed, and we hope to hold some special events this Summer on our grounds to inaugurate it.

               Finally, we want to wish everyone a very happy Tivoli Fest. We encourage everyone to take pictures and videos that we can use to help market the festival in the future. We believe this is going to be a very strong year if the weather holds, and we are looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces in and about the mill. Flyers have been distributed about town and everything is also available for viewing online at tivolifest.com. We’ve got more exciting news coming when the dust finally clears.