Celebrate the state’s pride and joy in Shelley this weekend
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SHELLEY — Lights, camera, action! It’s time to celebrate the state’s pride and joy this weekend in Shelley: the potato.
“Hollywood Stars” is the theme of the 96th year of Spud Days.
The longstanding tradition will be held on Saturday, Sept. 21, with many events at Shelley City Park. It’s free to attend. Click here for more information.
There’s a Spud Day parade, spud picking contest, spud tug, potato sack races, French fry eating contest, and more.
There are even free baked potatoes that will be given out at noon until they are all gone.
“Butter, sour cream, cheese, and salt and pepper. Those are real popular!” said Spud Day co-chair Bryan Jolley.
Other activities are throughout the week leading up to the main event day. Check the calendar below.
Jolley told EastIdahoNews.com that one of his favorite things about the day is watching everyone come together and celebrate the agricultural community.
“And the fact that we raise these potatoes over here in eastern Idaho. They are unparalleled anywhere in the world, and I think it just puts us on the map,” Jolley said.
He added many people come to visit from out of town and travel from all over the country just to be a part of it.
“It’s gotten national recognition. We have been in a lot of travel magazines,” he said.
And if you didn’t get enough fair food at the Eastern Idaho State Fair, Jolley said there is a variety of food to choose from with the vendors that will be in attendance.
It’s estimated that anywhere between 10 to 15 thousand people come. People don’t want to miss an experience and a celebration.
“The potato… as lowly a vegetable it is, has helped people survive famines, droughts, and everything else and kept them alive in bad times. We celebrate it because of what it does for our economy,” Jolley said.
According to the Spud Day website, “the state’s potato industry generates over $1 billion annually, supporting thousands of jobs from farming to processing and distribution. Idaho’s potato growers cultivate approximately 300,000 acres of potatoes each year.”
Jolley said it is one of the most versatile vegetables in the world when you can think of all the ways you can fix it.
“I love them fried, boiled, mashed, you name it! I like it. But probably French fires are my favorite, and close second is tater tots and then baked potato for me,” Jolley laughed.
According to Jolley, the first Spud Day event was held in 1927. Only one year was skipped during WWII.
