By Hannah Dillon, Albert Lea Tribune

Activities at Eddie Cochran Weekend this year will be downtown instead of at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. Most events Saturday will be at or around the North Broadway parking lot.

Events on Friday will be about the same as previous years. The Cruise-in Social will be at Country Inn & Suites and Green Mill and will be sponsored by Country Inn & Suites, Green Mill and Motor Inn this year. A disc jockey will be present to provide entertainment.

Jerry Monson, Eddie Cochran Weekend organizer, said the Saturday night entertainer, Richie Lee, will make an appearance and sing a few songs.

On Saturday, there will be a breakfast buffet from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Albert Lea American Legion. Pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee will be served. Cost is $6. Brats and burgers will also be served outside the legion for lunch starting at 11 a.m.

Also starting at 11 a.m. will be a free shuttle service to the Freeborn County Historical Museum. Monson said that since Eddie Cochran Weekend is downtown, attendees might not be able to get to the museum as easily to see the Eddie Cochran and Marion Ross exhibits. There is a presentation on the life of Eddie Cochran at 12:30 p.m. The shuttle runs until 2 p.m. Discounted museum admission is $2. Members and kids under 11 are free.

Car show registration will be 8 to 11:30 a.m. Registration will be at the Legion Hall and cost is $10 per car and driver. Three blocks of Broadway Avenue and two blocks of Fountain Street will be blocked off for the car show. Awards for the show will be at 2 p.m. at the North Broadway parking lot, and Monson said Lee will make an appearance again as well. Twenty-five awards will be given out this year.

Awards will also be given out for the Eddie Cochran Weekend window decorating contest. This event is returning this year and two traveling awards will be given during the car show awards.

There will be a new aspect to the car show this year as well. Just this year there is a special invite for stock cars and street rods from 1908 to 1931. These cars will each be in their own class and receive separate awards, Monson said.

A new event that was started last year is returning to Eddie Cochran Weekend. The Grandstand sale — though it isn’t under the Grandstand this year — will be in the back area of the Legion Hall. Vendors will sell records, T-shirts, jewelry and more.

The swap meet will return this year in the parking lot by the water tower on Fountain Street. Vendors will sell used cars and car parts, and a space can be reserved for $10.

These two different sales will go on all day Saturday during the other events.

The car cruise starts at 4 p.m. and is similar to last year, Monson said. The only change to the route is that the cruise will leave from the North Broadway parking lot and head west, due to the location change.

This year’s entertainment is Richie Lee and the Fabulous 50s. Lee was inspired by the music of Buddy Holly, and in 2003 he created his band. Now he plays the music of Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Roy Orbison and more. Lee and his band will be performing 7:30 p.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.

Eddie Cochran Weekend is sponsored by the Freeborn County Historical Museum.

 

 

Eddie Cochran Weekend Schedule

Friday

• Cruise-in Social, 6 p.m.: The cruise-in will be at Country Inn & Suites and Green Mill. The social is sponsored by Country Inn & Suites, Green Mill and Motor Inn. Three awards will be picked by spectators. A DJ will be there for live music and Richie Lee will make an appearance and sing a few songs.

 

Saturday

• Breakfast buffet, 7-10 a.m.: Come enjoy breakfast at the Albert Lea American Legion with pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee. Cost is $6.

• Car show registration, 8-11:30 a.m.: Registration is $10 per car and driver. Goodie bag and dash plaque included. Registration is at the Albert Lea American Legion. Cars will be shown at the North Broadway parking lot and three blocks of Broadway will be blocked off for the show as well. New for just this year is a special invite for 1908 to 1931 stock and street rod cars.

• Lunch, 11 a.m.: Brats and burgers will be available outside of the Albert Lea American Legion.

• Museum shuttle bus, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: A free shuttle bus will take passengers between downtown and the historical museum, so attendees can see the Eddie Cochran and Marion Ross exhibits. Discounted museum admission is $2. Members and children under 11 are free.

• Presentation on life of Eddie Cochran, 12:30 p.m.: A presentation on the life of Eddie Cochran will be at the historical musem.

• Swap meet, all day: Vendors can sell cars and car parts at the swap meet. Spaces are $10 each. The swap meet will be at the parking lot near the water tower on Fountain St.

• Grandstand sale, all day: Vendors will be selling records, t-shirts, jewelry and other wares in the back area of the Albert Lea American Legion.

• Car show awards, 2 p.m.: Awards for the car show will be given out at the North Broadway parking lot. Richie Lee will make an appearance.

• Car cruise, 4 p.m.: The annual car cruise will leave from the North Broadway parking lot and head west this year on a route similar to last year’s.

• Richie Lee and the Fabulous ’50s, 7:30 p.m.: Richie Lee and his band will be performing at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.

 

Sunday

• Rock ’n’ Roll Worship, 9 a.m.: Join United Methodist church for a unique worship service in the spirit of the 1950s. The service will be at United Methodist Church.