LeClaire-Port Byron Tug Fest: ‘They had a blast’

The tug-of-war contest between LeClaire, Iowa, and Port Byron, Illinois, on Saturday, Aug. 12, had some new rules, but the same results. The Illinois teams scored an 8-3 win to keep a decade-long win streak alive. This year’s Tug Fest again featured a carnival-like atmosphere on both sides of the river and attracted thousands of […]

The tug-of-war contest between LeClaire, Iowa, and Port Byron, Illinois, on Saturday, Aug. 12, had some new rules, but the same results. The Illinois teams scored an 8-3 win to keep a decade-long win streak alive. This year’s Tug Fest again featured a carnival-like atmosphere on both sides of the river and attracted thousands of visitors from Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 10-12. Some of the events included a parade, carnival rides, a 5K run, fireworks, food vendors, a sweet corn eating contest and much more.

1 of 10

“Overall, we had great weather and a wonderful event. The parade lasted an hour with many cute entries to go with the ‘Down on the Farm’ theme. The levee was busy all three days,” said Cindy Bruhn, LeClaire tourism manager. But the main event of the annual celebration was the tug-of-war contests across the Mississippi River between teams from LeClaire and Port Byron. This year’s tug-of-war events almost didn’t happen. A few months ago, negotiations between the Port Byron and LeClaire Tug Fest committees stalled. Iowa-side reps said “vastly different currents” give the Illinois side an advantage.  During those negotiations for change early this year,  Kari Long, president of the LeClaire Tug Fest Board, said:  “This event is bigger than us…it’s bigger than just our boards and committees. We need to reignite the excitement in this event and make it better for both cities. This festival cannot continue as a one-sided competition or we will all end up losing in the long run.” The differences were eventually ironed out and organizers announced that for the first time, a barge would be placed in the Mississippi River that will hold the rope up out of the current and prevent it from moving. This move was designed to put to rest the question of whether the current plays a part in determining the winner. “We have this crazy barge in the middle of the river. … Fingers crossed, it will help Iowa,” an event organizer announced in LeClaire shortly before the tug-of-war began and after he told the crowd that Iowa had not won the Tug Fest contest since 2013. Also just before the tug-of-war contests began, officials outlined some of the rules including: 20-member teams, and the pullers were not allowed to wear athletic shoes with spikes or cleats. It initially appeared that Iowa teams would snap the losing streak as LeClaire started off the event with a win as the Ace Waterproofing team triumphed in the pulling contest against Duey’s Corner Tap from Illinois. However, after that initial contest, Illinois teams won six in a row on its way to another Tug Fest victory. The tug fest team results were:

• Ace Waterproofing (Iowa) beat Duey’s Corner Tap.
• Knapp’s Contracting & Storage (Illinois) beat Riverview Roadhouse.
• Larson Pump (Illinois) beat Van Plet’s Drywall.
• Peacock’s Tavern (Illinois) beat LeClaire Auto / Allbee Strong.
• DeClerq Farms / Rams Riverhouse (Illinois) beat Keith & Co.
• Signature Big Timbers (Illinois) beat IBEW.
• Rosenow Farms (Illinois) beat Veterans Choice.
• Therocare (Iowa) beat Guither Tree Service.
• Black Fabrication, Inc. (Illinois) beat Carsten’s Flooring.
• Hillsdale Storage (Illinois) beat First Central State Bank.
• F & S Enterprises (Iowa) beat Farrell Chiropractic Clinic.

“It went great this weekend,” Tammy Knapp, president of the Port Byron Great River Tug Fest, told the QCBJ on Monday, Aug. 14. “We don’t take attendance, but overall it was a wonderful event for us.” But ahead of the main tug-of-war contests on Saturday, there were hundreds of area children who got to take part in their own tug contests held in LeClaire and Port Byron. These events, however, did not take place over the river, but between teams formed on the spot in both towns. In LeClaire, for instance, teams were formed by age groups and got to take part in tug contests near the shore on the levee. One of those young competitors was Layton Suiter, 3, who was on a team for kids 6 years old and younger. Layton had his baseball cap on backwards and a red T-shirt with the “Down on the Farm” Tug Fest logo on it as he tugged for one of the winning teams. “I think he did great,” said his father, Colin Suiter of Long Grove, Iowa. “This has been a lot of fun, so far. This is our first time at this.” Another dad proud of his kids’ efforts was Joe Nemitz of Blue Grass, Iowa, who was at the celebration to cheer on his children Riley, 7, and Bennett, 5. “They had a blast doing this. … This has been a really fun place,” Mr. Nemitz said. In addition to the tug-of-wars, the LeClaire levee was filled with all the features of a major celebration. There were carnival rides, live music and lots of food such as Philly cheesesteaks, jumbo corn dogs, elephant ears, funnel cakes, deep fried oreo cookies and much more. The celebration also included several local businesses trying to get their names and products out in the public eye. Among them was Renewal By Andersen of the Quad Cities. The company that specializes in window and door replacement for homes was at Tug Fest in hopes of generating some business. “It’s been good brand exposure for us,” said Brandon Whiggins, who worked the Renewal By Andersen table on Saturday. “I haven’t generated any sales leads yet, but it’s worth being out here so people can see us.”