MISSISSIPPI
MELODIE SHOWBOAT
HONORING THE PAST
AND BUILDING THE FUTURE |
||||||||||||
About Us HERE COMES THE SHOWBOAT! Join us this year when the band plays Music that will dazzle the whole family. The riverboat whistle is heard in the distance and that long-awaited first glimpse of the Mississippi Melodie Showboat is seen around the river’s bend. We will all be magically carried back a hundred years in time to relive the gaiety and excitement of the Showboat era on the Mighty Mississippi. With banners flying, lights glowing, paddle wheel churning and whistle blowing, the majestic Mississippi Melodie Showboat and her cast have been enchanting crowds in Grand Rapids for over 50 years. Mississippi Melodie provides a unique entertainment experience for our audience. Under a natural canopy of towering pines, audiences sit in comfortable stadium seating in our outdoor amphitheater and are entertained by a revival of the music, dance and humor of that earlier showboat era. The captain brings Mississippi Melodie to the dock, which then becomes the stage. The length of the show is from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Each year an entirely new show is written and different performers are featured. We feature some solo singers, specialty numbers and a talented chorus of singers and dancers. Audiences also look forward to the featured melodrama skit. Each night will host a special performer. We’ve entertained groups from every state and many foreign countries. This show is enjoyed by families, senior groups, church groups and travel clubs. The performances are the last three weekends in July of each year. This is family entertainment at its best. Mississippi Melodie Showboat was excited to find out that Explore Minnesota Tourism nominated Mississippi Melodie Showboat for the American Bus Association 2006 Top 100 Events in North America award. In 1956, at the insistence of a very determined and energetic Lois Gildemeister, a group of many Grand Rapids citizens developed the idea of the Mississippi Melodie Showboat. These showboats brought entertainment to the small towns along the Mississippi River, and for many, they were the only connection with the outside world. What was going to be a special celebration for the year 1956 turned into an annual tradition. This year is our 51st year. Lois produced the show for 46 years and is sorely missed by the Showboat cast and crew. She passed away on May 3, 2005. Mississippi Melodie's 51st years performance was dedicated to her memory. WE ARE LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH SHOWBOAT. A VARIETY OF TASKS ARE NEEDED. PLEASE CLICK ON LINK BELOW AND LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP. PLEASE INCLUDE NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER SO WE CAN CONTACT YOU. THANK YOU! showboat@mississippimelodie.com COME JOIN US IN JULY FOR MISSISSIPPI MELODIE SHOWBOAT !! |
||||||||||||
Showboat Site: 16th
Ave & 3rd St NW
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Mailing Address: Mississippi Melodie Showboat |