SUBMITTED PHOTO Showboat gets big boost -...

Showboat gets big boost

BY KATHLEEN PAKARINENkcpakarinen@aitkinage.com

e Aitkin Area Chamberof Commerce was awarded a$10,000 Cultural and Tourismmatching grant from the IronRange Resources and Reha-bilitation Board (IRRRB) torestore the Showboat of theMississippi. e chamber,with help from its members,purchased the showboat inOctober 2015. e chamberhopes to complete the projectby mid-summer 2017.

e boat came with 60years of costumes, soundequipment, lighting, benchseating for 1,000, a showboatparade float and much morethat was involved with vaude-ville shows, performed on thebanks of the river in GrandRapids. e boat currently isbeing stored free, compli-ments of Aitkin Rental, andthe company has offered thechamber use of their equip-ment during restoration as anin-kind donation.

“e 16-by-45-foot show-boat is structurally sound,however, it will need a lot ofattention to get it back towhat it was and that’s whatwe are going to do,” saidchamber and showboatboard member, Jeff Tidholm.

Restoration will includesite work at the Aitkin CountyFairgrounds, the new homeof the showboat. e boat

needs to be completely re-painted and the restorationproject includes electrical,poured concrete and a newroof. A stage will be con-structed in order to host com-munity events such as familymusical performances, out-door plays, movie picnics,Riverboat Days events andmuch more. e project willalso include landscaping andfencing.

e grant received is amatching grant. e chamberestimates the project will beapproximately $20,000. echamber is responsible for$10,000 and the grant willprovide $10,000. Several indi-

viduals and businesses haveoffered in-kind donations toassist with the project.

e chamber also created anon-profit organization,“Showboat of the Missis-sippi,” to help with futuregrants in the performing arts.e non-profit will be re-sponsible for programmingwhile the Aitkin Chamber willown the boat itself. Boardmembers of the Showboat ofthe Mississippi currently in-clude Tidholm, AmandaMacDonald, Kim Jones,Sharon Dotzler and KariPaulson. ere are plans toadd more people interestedin being committee membersin the spring when therestoration project reallyramps up.

“We are grateful to theIRRRB for believing in ourproject, we believe the show-

boat will be an asset to ourcommunity, especially withour history of being a river-boat town. We believe it willprovide opportunities fortourism and, of course, in-creased awareness of thearts,” said Chamber DirectorMacDonald. “Communitysupport is appreciated andwe are always looking for vol-unteers or business dona-tions … Any and all help willmove the project alongfaster.”

For a contribution of $25,the public is invited to be-come a "Friend of the Show-boat." Visit Aitkin.com andclick on the “Showboat” tobecome a Friend of the Show-boat. Also on the site is a short“fun” video, filmed during thepurchase of the “Showboat ofthe Mississippi.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOThe new grant will help the Aitkin chamber with plans to restore the showboat to its former glory, to the way itlooked when it was used for events like the one shown above.

JEFF TIDHOLM PHOTOThe showboat in its current state of disrepair.

Aitkin Chamber receives $10,000 grant from IRRRB to help return Showboat of Mississippi to former glory