With crowns on their heads, the Pequot Lakes royalty for Bean Hole Days sampled the beans and opened the annual feast for the masses Wednesday, July 17.
Part of a long-standing tradition stretching back 81 years in Pequot Lakes, the annual celebration included burying huge cast iron kettles of beans -- named Thor, Big Bertha, Ole, Sven, Lena and Baby Olga -- Tuesday so the beans could cook overnight and be served free to the crowds on a mid-summer day. Since 1938, this tradition has brought thousands together as they share a free lunch of baked beans, a dinner roll and a beverage.
One of the royals named this year expected to take a photo of the king and queen, but found her name was called instead.
“I was quite surprised,” said 2019 Queen Bean Nancy Vogt, Pineandlakes Echo Journal editor, Wednesday afternoon. “I have ‘bean’ there for so many years that I never expected to be the Queen Bean.”
Vogt has covered the event for the local newspaper for 13 years. Wednesday, she thought she’d be taking photos and video, but found herself in a crown and royal cape instead.
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Chris Lindholm, Pequot Lakes superintendent, was crowned King Bean.
Vogt, who is partial to garden green beans, said the kettle beans were tasty. After a deluge of rain in the morning, the skies cleared after the crowning of King and Queen beans. Once the sun came out with highs in the 80s, people gathered in long lines to partake of the beans. Once the king and queen taste the beans, they officially declare them ready for the people. The crowns, however, go back to the Pequot Lakes Chamber of Commerce for safekeeping.
For more photos, go to https://bit.ly/2YT6mo6 .
