Kimball Expo’s return sees steady visitors Saturday

Pancakes, square dancing, face-painting, music, a bouncy house, test drives, robots, giveaways, displayed artwork, pottery demonstrations. One could find all of this and more at an event that made its return to the Kimball Area High School Wirth Gym after a six-year hiatus: the Kimball Business and Community Expo. 

From 8 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, March 29, a steady flow of people visited the 33 booths at the event. Notably, three businesses had two booths each.

Visitors could come as early 7:30 a.m. for a breakfast served in the cafetorium by the Kimball United Methodist Church. The breakfast included pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, and pork sausage (donated by Knaus). From its opening to its closing at 10:30 a.m., 93 people took in the breakfast. 

A.M. Maus & Son also did a  test drive fundraiser in the school parking lot. The test drive saw 50 people participate. For each test drive, $20 went to the Kimball Robotics program. Speaking of robotics, Kimball Robotics groups demonstrated their robots inside the gym at this event.

As for other groups, the Kimball Lions offered vision tests, asking people to bring old eye glasses to be recycled. Maine Prairie Studio did demonstrations with pottery and ceramics. The Kimball Scouts hosted a Pinewood Derby, and girl Scouts sold cookies. 

Surrounded by baseball/softball equipment, David Gebhardt of Keystone Insurance hosted an equipment swap in his booth.

Much music and dancing also filled the Expo. Greeting people as they walked into the school, Homemade Jammin’ performed a variety of Bluegrass, old-time, folk, gospel, campfire, and sing-a-long tunes from 9-11 a.m.; the grou features Sue Pundsack on guitar, dulcimer, and harmonica, and Connie Schwinghammer on bass guitar. Koronis Nite Owls, including local children, did some square dancing. Several groups from the Just for Kix program out of Annandale concluded the event with some dancing numbers. 

This year’s Expo’s participants included 4.0 Bus, Air Pro, A.M. Maus & Son, American Family Insurance/Ehlinger Agency, Arnold’s of Kimball, Arvig, CAP Homes, City of Kimball, CW Water, Dingmann Funeral Care, Edina Realty-Nora Job, Fun Size Pet Spa, Harvest Bank, Keystone Insurance, Kimball Chiropractic, Kimball Fire Department, Kimball Lions, Kimball Schools, Lake Country Bible Church, Maine Prairie Studio, MCP Collision, Oak Realty, Rise & Grind, Scouting America, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Tri-County News, and Your Home Heating & Air.

It is hoped that planning for the 2026 Kimball Community Expo will begin soon, and a date announced.