Planning for Winsted’s 125th, or quasquicentennial, anniversary celebration to take place the week of Monday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 12, 2012, began more than a year ago.

The celebration will be an extension of the annual Winsted Summer Festival, which will be in its 39th year.

The 125th anniversary committee includes co-chairs Tom Ollig and Gary Lenz, and Dale Maus, who is chairman of the summer festival.

Some traditional favorites to be part of the celebration will be the Bratbusters, a tractor pedal pull, street dance, fireworks, a children’s parade, the grand parade, and the crowning of the Winsted Ambassadors.

Also, the canoe race and the 5K/10K fun run/walk, two very popular events that have just recently returned to the summer festival, will be part of the big event.

Maus was pleased with the number of fun activities and the attendance for the 2011 summer festival. Several organizations stepped forward to sponsor a variety of entertainment and as a result, there were more people to share the workload.

“That is what the festival needs to survive and grow, and it’s what it’s all about,” Maus said.

In addition to the summer festival events, the committee is still deciding what the 125-year celebration will include. Carnival rides on Weinbeck football field for the children is one of the suggestions the committee is considering.

The 125th Anniversary Committee is in need of ideas for activities to be part of the celebration, and many volunteers to help with this milestone in Winsted’s history.

Anyone who would like more information about the upcoming celebration, or is interested in being on the committee, can contact Maus at (320) 485-3825 or e-mail him at dymaus@tds.net; or Ollig at (320) 485-3987 or e-mail him at ollig@tds.net. To help with publishing Winsted’s history, contact Lenz at (320) 485-4310 or e-mail him at gary.lenz@gdc.com.