Plenty of Carbs at Barnesville’s Potato Days Festival

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Potato Days has once again taken over Barnesville. The carb-loaded festival dates back to 1938.

The smell of potatoes cooked in every way imaginable takes over Barnesville.

But one of the most traditional, and popular, items is lefse. And eight different teams are battling in a lefse cook-off.

“It gives the opportunity for these ladies to show the skills they’ve developed over generations,” says Lefse Cook-off Coordinator Margaret Ann Thompson.

The lefse cook-off happening in this kitchen is just one of many events but it’s special because it draws cooks of all ages.

“I’m 88-years-old and my wife is 90,” says Cal Boen of Barnesville about his wife Millie.

Like this couple who have been deemed the team to beat. Cooking lefse takes some serious skill but one thing that sets this duo apart is that they leave the air bubbles.

“We got married in ’85 and we’ve been making lefse ever since,” Cal says.

But their best secret ingredient is love.

“My first husband and I, we were making lefse and he was trying to tell me how to do it and it was sticking and so I just took some and I threw it at him,” Millie says and laughs.

Outside the kitchen, several other events and vendors are set up for the expected 20,000 attendants.

Including one man who has never skipped a Potato Days Festival since 1992.

“They started something called potato head king and I was the first potato head king. I’ve still got my crown. The potatoes are all shriveled up but I still have it,” says Ron Johnson of Barnesville.

So whether you’re a lefse champion, a Mr. Potato Head, or something in between, Potato Days has enough carbs for everyone.

Potato Days continues tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. Events include a potato sack fashion show and a potato peeling contest.