Hudson Booster Days didn’t let water get in the way of its downtown parade, blast-from-the-past car show, hot dog eating contest and — of course — a booming, fireworks finale for an event that went from July 4 to July 7 mostly at Lakefront Park.

Organizers had to adjust this year as the St. Croix River flooded parts of Lakefront Park and the city streets. After receiving donations, Booster Days provided barricades to warn visitors of the flooding. While the event canceled the fishing contest due to high waters, other festivities were mostly unaffected.

In hot dog eating contest, a woman champion

Jessica Von Haden became the first women victor of the hot dog eating contest in recent memory, eating eight ½ hot dogs on Saturday of Booster Days at Lakefront Park.

A few attendees came from out-of-town, including the reigning champion and a multi-time winner, Jason Fields. Why did Von Haden want to do the competition? 

“I was actually just hungry,” Von Haden said. 

Von Haden, a Hudson High School alumna who lives in Hammond, Wis., did not seem enthusiastic when asked about if she plans to enter into more hot dog eating competitions in the future. 

“I don’t think I’m ever going to eat another hot dog in my life,” Von Haden said. 

Organizers made an effort to try and recruit attendees to participate in the eating competition last minute. Tom Smith, the Booster Days organizer who emceed the hot dog eating contest, said he volunteers to take on his role. 

“[I’m a] failed comic. This is safe stage time.”

As the city has changed around him since he started living here more than two decades ago, Smith said events like Booster Days still have a community involvement that is small-town-esque.

“[The city] let us raise money by selling beer and food vendors and we fund youth sports with this, so it’s just hometown,” Smith said.

Agave Kitchen was one of those food vendors at the event. On July 4, Charlie Rode said rain may have played a factor in sparse crowds early on, but that things typically pick up near the end of Booster Days anyway. 

“I think it’s great to have everyone come and celebrate,” Rode said. “Doing events everywhere in Wisconsin — I think it’s great.”

Car show, fireworks

For this year’s car show, enthusiasts gawked at models like the 1967 Chevrolet Malibu, 1950’s Buick Special model and a 2001 Chevrolet Impala 9C1 police vehicle, the last of which was used in the filming of popular television shows Blue Bloods and Law and Order. 

The Hudson Boosters Days ended the event with a much-anticipated firework display. A packed crowd of attendees at Lakefront Park witnessed vibrant explosions shot off from the St. Croix River. Attendees sat in lawn chairs and on picnic blankets, applying bug spray and capturing the moment with cameras. Visitors’ “oohs and ahhs” echoed throughout First St., capped off with a thunderous applause at the display’s finale.