Bloomington celebrates heritage

Tom Kendall grew up in Bloomington and lived in Denmark, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Wisconsin, before returning to Minnesota to raise a family. But even as he finally settled back into his hometown, he felt something was missing.

People didn't know each other as well as they should, he thought. They didn't know much about the history of the city, either. Kendall felt a surge of envy every time he accompanied his wife to her hometown of St. James, Minn., for an annual town celebration.

"They have an awesome little parade and festival, and I thought if a town of 5,000 can do this, why can't a city of 82,000?"

That was the inspiration for Bloomington's new Heritage Days celebration, which will be held Saturday.

"It's a chance for the community to come out and celebrate itself, who they are and why they are," Kendall said. "It's been a missing piece of Bloomington's fabric for way too long."

Heritage Days is intended to be a family-friendly event, featuring everything from gunny sack races and inflatable bounce houses to a beer garden and a classic car show. Bands from both Bloomington high schools will perform, and a new song about Bloomington will be sung by school kids. There also will be displays of city equipment like fire ladder trucks, along with free bingo, a kids' talent show and performances by rock bands.

Some of the events may have a cover charge, and food and beer will have to be purchased. Most other activities will be free.

The celebration site is near 98th Street (also known as Old Shakopee Road) and Lyndale because that area -- often referred to as Bloomington's "downtown" -- is historically significant. Old Shakopee was a trail that ran from Fort Snelling to Chief Shakopee's village on the Minnesota River. The Oxborough family, which came from Canada in the 1850s, had farms and businesses in the area called "Oxboro Heath."

"Here was Oxboro, what would ultimately become Bloomington," Kendall said. "I'm kind of a sentimental guy, and I think it's the center of the community, a local rather than a regional hub. It seemed to be the right place."

He hopes the gathering is successful enough that it will become an annual event.

"When I was growing up, every neighborhood was a tight-knit community," Kendall said. "A community can lose its sense of identity unless it finds a way to connect to itself. ...

"I hope people have a new and renewed sense of what this community is, and I hope people find some small way of taking ownership in the community as a result of getting together. Maybe they will find inspiration to volunteer themselves and get involved."