Editing Dawson, Minnesota (section)

==Town culture==

=== Riverfest ===
Riverfest is Dawson's annual community festival,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Riverfest underway in Dawson |url=https://www.marshallindependent.com/news/local-news/2024/06/riverfest-underway-in-dawson-2/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=marshallindependent.com |language=en-US}}</ref> named after the Lac qui Parle River,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-01 |title=Flea market, softball and even bubbles highlight Riverfest in Dawson, Minnesota |url=https://www.wctrib.com/news/local/flea-market-softball-and-even-bubbles-highlight-riverfest-in-dawson-minnesota |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=West Central Tribune |language=en}}</ref> which is held the last full weekend every June.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annual Events {{!}} City of Dawson |url=https://dawsonmn.com/annual-events |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=dawsonmn.com |language=en}}</ref>  Riverfest features events, like live music, sports tournaments, and canoe races, as well as the town's gnome unveiling ceremony.<ref name=":0" />

===Gnomes===
[[File:Theodore Christianson, Governor of Minnesota.JPG|alt=An oil painting of Theodore Christianson staring to the left|thumb|237x237px|Theodore Christianson, Governor of Minnesota and first Gnome of Dawson]]
Dawson, also known as Gnometown USA,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Riverfest |url=https://www.exploreminnesota.com/event/riverfest/10334 |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Explore Minnesota |language=en}}</ref> commemorates its notable citizens by making them into 3-foot tall [[gnome]]s that are placed either in the Dawson Public Library or Gnome Park.  The gnomes are revealed to the community during Riverfest.  Each gnome gets its own legend. (found [http://www.gnomedaws.com/tales.html here])  New gnomes have been added every year since 1989.  There are more than 40 gnomes in Gnome Park<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=GNOMETOWN, USA|url=http://www.gnomedaws.com/|access-date=May 3, 2021|website=GNOMETOWN, USA|language=en}}</ref> with more being added every year.
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+ Gnomes of Dawson
|-
!Year
!Name of Gnome(s)/Troll
!Person/People/Thing Represented
!Ref.
|-
|1989
|Governor Ted
|Theodore Christianson
| rowspan="35" |<ref name=":1" />
|-
|1990
|Postmaster Bertha
|Bertha Swenson
|-
|1991
|Scouter T.O.
|T.O. Vaala
|-
|1992
|Doc Bill
|Dr. Vilhelm Johnson
|-
|1993
|The Maestro
|John Solie
|-
|1994
|Morrie and Kay
|Morris and Kathryn Benson
|-
|1995
|Areta
|Areta Schmoker Wold
|-
|1996
|Farmer Gerry
|Gerald Michaelson
|-
|1997
|Baker Elder
|Elder Molstad
|-
|1998
|Rudy
|Rudy Prestholdt
|-
|1999
|Doc Phil and Jean
|Dr. Phil and Jean Maus
|-
|2000
|The Merchant and the Miller
|Harland and Gladys Thoen
|-
|2001
|Principal Vern
|Vernon Stevens
|-
|2002
|Coach Steve and Irene
|Steve and Irene Ruzich
|-
|2003
|Joe and Mary
|Joe and Mary Givens
|-
|2004
|Del the Gnometographer
|Delbert Thielke
|-
|2005
|The Reverend
|Reverend G.S. Froiland
|-
|2006
|Superintendent Bob
|Robert Clay
|-
|2007
|Harris and Eloise
|Harris and Eloise Ronning
|-
|2008
|The Gnometown Fire Department
|The Dawson Fire Department
|-
|2009
|The Founders of Dawson Mills
|Glen Blomquist, Art Lee, John C. Hanson, and Bert Dahl
|-
|2010
|Mayor Richard
|Richard Pollei
|-
|2011
|Al
|Allan Schacherer
|-
|2012
|Alta, Ruth, and Shar
|Alta Roesch, Ruth Solem, and Sharilyn Bates
|-
|2013
|HUGs and TUGs
|The EMTs and First Responders
|-
|2014
|Bob and Marlene
|Bob and Marlene Lee
|-
|2015
|Ole
|Norm Olson
|-
|2016
|Doc Ralph
|Dr. Ralph Gerbig
|-
|2017
|Virg
|Virgil Thompson
|-
|2018
|Charlie
|Charlie Prestholdt
|-
|2019
|Dennis and Ruby
|Dennis and Ruby Anderson
|-
|2020
| rowspan="2" |Covidius Putrid Evilson the 19th (Triumph over the Troll)*
| rowspan="2" |The way the community came together and overcame the COVID-19 pandemic
|-
|2021
|-
|2022
|Loren
|Loren Femrite
|-
|2023
|Deb
|Deb Breberg
|-
|2024
|Dan and Luanne
|Dan and Luanne Fondell
|
|-
| colspan="4" |*denotes troll
|}