Photo by JIm Tate Dawson Chamber of Commerce marketing director Terry Overlander stands by the sign proclaiming the town “Gnometown USA.” Dawson Riverfest will be held June 25-29, and there are many gnome-related events planned.

DAWSON –“Every day is a good day — some are just better than others.”

That’s how Terry Overlander, the Dawson Chamber of Commerce marketing director, feels about life, and his glass-half-full outlook serves the town of 1,433 well as it prepares for the 36th Riverfest celebration June 25-29.

Overlander is a familiar face in town. He moved to Dawson 42 years ago when he and his business partner, Maynard Meyer, built KLQP Radio in Madison, 13 miles down the road.

How he ended up in Dawson is a story unto itself. “When we were putting up the (radio) tower there was a surveying error on the land and one of the guide wires ended up on another farmer’s land,” he explained. “We talked to him and he said that’d be OK, if one of us lived in Dawson. I think I got the better part of the deal,” he said with a chuckle.

He is a second-generation radio guy. His father was the manager of KSCR Radio in Benson while growing up, and his business partner’s father was the chief engineer.

Riverfest gets its name from the Lac qui Parle River which winds through town and one of the celebration’s highlights is the Friday “Gnome Unveiling Ceremony,” which honors an individual or group that “contributes to the community in a positive way and promotes the town and the positive things associated with it,” said Overlander.

Dawson likes its gnomes. It’s theme is “Gnometown USA” and there’s many gnome-related events during Riverfest.

The list of events is long and ambitious, and volunteers and business support are instrumental in pulling everything together, said Overlander.

Events include:

• Wednesday, June 25: Appreciation lunch, kids’ treasure hunt and root beer floats, and a pair of baseball games between D-B grade school teams, and the Dawson Drakes amateur team against another area club.

Thursday, June 26: Root beer floats, kids’ triathlon/obstacle course, kickball tournament and teen dance.

Friday, June 27: Golf tournament, canoe races, softball tournament and Dawson Drakes game.

Saturday, June 28: Fishing contest, color run, kids pedal pull, 3-on-3 basketball, permanent jewelry at Gnometown Grounds, gnome painting, softball tournament, children’s carnival, ‘gnomes need new homes’ event, craft-vendor-flea market, comic juggler “Tuey,” gnome flop competition, fire department water fights, Rusty Duck live music, “The Crown Jewels — A Tribute to Queen,” and Hilltop dance and fireman’s raffle.

Sunday, June 29: Legion pancake feed, softball tournament, antique car-tractor-motorcycle display, ecumenical church service, Riverfest grand parade.

Overlander and his wife, Becky, are the parents of three children: Justen, Rodgers, Minn.; Miranda, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Mackenzie, who died in an automobile accident. They have seven grandchildren.

“This is a loving and caring committee. People go to bat for you, they take care of you — we learned that when we lost our daughter. We have a wonderful school, a great hospital and an active and involved business community. It takes a lot of people to make Riverfest a success, and the entire community gets behind it, ” he said.

“Life is good.”

He sold his half of the station to Meyer a couple of years ago and it was recently sold to la woman Fromm Iowa.