The weekend immediately following the Fourth of July is Litchfield’s biggest celebration each year. That’s when the entire city dives into Watercade, a weekend of fun, food and festivities.

Litchfield will celebrate its 55th annual Watercade on July 7-10, 2011. As the name implies, Watercade celebrates Litchfield’s location in west central Minnesota’s lakes region, most notably Lake Ripley, which is on the city’s south end, and is the site for several Watercade events. Activities planned each year include a fireworks display, golf tournament, Grande Day parade, Art in the Park, medallion hunt, 4-mile run, fishing contest, kiddie parade and a Little Crow water ski show.

Watercade’s finale is the annual queen coronation and includes the crowning of the new Miss Litchfield and princess. The 2010-11 Miss Litchfield, Katlyn Kiehn, will serve until the 2011 coronation.