Just like in 1985 when New Coke was introduced to the public, this past weekend’s revamped Cowtown Days drew mixed reviews.

The Independent-Reporter interviewed several people up and down Douglas Avenue Saturday morning to get their thoughts.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to still go back to our roots and what we’ve always done,” said Olivia Stevenson, co-owner of Raised Rustic in downtown Ellsworth. “There is a little bit of change and that’s OK. We have to restart, redo and like I said, revamp. Honestly, I think if everybody can get behind the committee and show their support, that’s when everything starts to take off and we can get it back to where it was.”

Stevenson said the sidewalks sales, Vintage to Vibrant event and Lemonade Day were her Cowtown favorites.

“With the kids being really enthusiastic about what they’re doing, it’s just fun to see that spirit come to life,” she said.

Stevenson said she had mixed feelings about no parade this year.

“I love it for enjoying it with my family and the kids, but from a retailer’s standpoint, it’s indifferent for me,” she said. “Especially right now with the road construction. It kind of worked out how it needed to, and honestly, keep some of the foot traffic here downtown.”

Stevenson said she hopes Cowtown Days will return in 2025.

“As a former member of the committee, I know how much hard work goes into it,” she said. “I know there is a lot of negativity involved, but I also know there’s a lot of positivity, and like I said earlier, if everybody can just rally behind the committee and show their support, I think it will continue to grow and blossom.”

Grow Ellsworth County Executive Director Stacie Schmidt said Friday night’s Cowtown activities at Preisker Park were fantastic.

“We had a great crowd for the Family Fun Night,” she said. “The weather was pretty warm, but it finally cooled down and we had a great atmosphere at the park.”

Schmidt said her favorite part of Cowtown Days this year was the Lemonade Day.

“The Lemonade Day is such a good payoff for me,” she said, “and we get to see our youth really shine. Coming up with their ideas and their marketing and then talking to people, it’s really fulfilling to see what the youth in our community can do. It creates a pipeline of future business owners for Ellsworth County.”

Schmidt said she was blown away by the talent and creativity of all of the young entrepreneurs and the amazing way they presented themselves.

“The community came out in droves as we collected more than 300 voting tickets,” she said. “Downtown was vibrant and busy all morning, and we saw a lot of shopping bags, lemonade sippers and community spirit. It was a great Saturday event in downtown Ellsworth, and we can’t wait to do it again next year and see even more entrepreneurs.”

Schmidt said there was a lot of confusion about the change in activities for this year’s Cowtown Days event due to the construction on Douglas Avenue.

“We know that changing old traditions is difficult, but the committee tried to make an intentional effort this year to combine old traditions with new traditions.

“I think the park offers a really great venue for a large crowd of people with a lot of shade,” she said, adding Preisker Park is a great venue.

Janet Tremelay of Tescott and Jolene Frigen of Clay Center were both new visitors to Cowtown Days. They both said they were having a good time and hoped Cowtown Days would be back again next year.

“I’ve been really busy, so I haven’t had a lot of time to explore the new Cowtown,” Leah Howard said.

Howard said her favorite event with Cowtown Days, traditionally, has been the parade.

Howard said while she was sad about there being no parade this year, she understood the reason why with the road construction.

“They just wanted to play it safe,” Howard said, adding she hopes they have Cowtown Days again next year.

“I love that the vendors are here at the businesses,” said Shannon Winkler of Manhattan. “Just to be able to highlight the local businesses as well as the craft vendors.”

Winkler said she attended the activities in Preisker Park Friday and “it seemed like it was a pretty good setup.”

Winkler said she comes to Cowtown Days every year so she can visit family.

“We used to go to the rodeo when it was the same weekend,” she said, “and would go check everything out, watch the reenactment (of the shooting of Sheriff Whitney). It’s always fun to come.”

Winker said her favorite part of Cowtown Days were the craft vendors.

“I like to see what everybody else is making and things like that,” she said, “and to support the local people.”

Winkler said she definitely missed the parade, but with the construction on Douglas Avenue, son and he loves to watch the parade,” she said, “and my brother-inlaw, Alex Winters, usually drives in it because he’s with the fire department, so it’s fun to see all that. We missed it, but I’m sure next year it will be even better after missing it for a year.”

“I think it’s cool to see all of the downtown businesses being able to have something to offer downtown,” Jaron Irvin said. “I like that aspect of it.”

Irvin said anything that supports local businesses and stimulates the local economy is great.

Irvin said he missed the Cowtown Days parade.

“It wouldn’t be a very good deal with all the road construction though,” he noted.

Irvin hopes Cowtown Days will be back again in 2025.

“I think it’s good for our local economy,” he said.

Kourtney McKinney said she did not like the revamped Cowtown Days.

“It’s nothing like it was when I was a little girl,” she said. “I don’t like it at all, honestly.”

McKinney said she missed the parade the most, along with everything being set up downtown.

“Everything being together,” she said.

McKinney said she remembers sitting on her great uncle Augie Zorn’s lap near F&M Drug watching the Cowtown parade go by.

“That was a year before he passed away,” she said.

McKinney hopes they bring back Cowtown Days next year the way it was in its glory years, with the parade, the vendors and everything else.

“Yeah, I hope it does come back,” she said.