Christian music added to fair mix
If you needed proof that the organizers of the Steele County Free Fair start work year-round, look no further.
When the folks at the Owatonna Area Christian Radio (OACR) booth spotted SCFF Manager Scott Kozelka during the 2024 fair, they had a question.
“They asked me if I’d ever be interested in a Christian night,” Kozelka said. “I told them, ‘let’s talk after the fair.’ And I swear to God, a couple weeks after that we were sitting down … and here we are.”
“Here” is announcing the first Christian music concert to be held in the grandstand, planned for Wednesday, Aug. 13, during the 2025 SCFF.
“Wednesday nights (of the fair) were one of those nights we kept trying different things, and this, hopefully, will be the winner, as far as future things,” Kozelka said.
The partnership with OACR will bring two national acts: Headliner Big Daddy Weave, with special guest Cochren & Co.
“I asked for a list of 10 bands,” Kozelka said of the process of selecting the artists. “I do my homework – and all 10 bands were amazing.”
The suggestions came from the OACR board, said Helen Mrozek, treasurer of the group.
Their first suggestion was a band that was no longer touring; the next choice wasn’t available.
“We just went down the list,” she said. “Any one of the artists would have been great.”
The local group had “always wanted to try to do something with the fair,” Mrozek said. “We were just never able to, financially, but we’re at a point now where we looked into it, and it was a possibility. One of our board members approached Scott – and things started clicking.”
The idea also fit the goal of the fair board, Kozelka said.
“We want to change things up,” he said. “It’s nice having the partnership, because we want to bring new and exciting entertainment.”
It’s also a big step for Owatonna Area Christian Radio, which has been around nearly 30 years.
Mrozek and her husband had just moved to Owatonna from Waseca, “and I was so sad, because I couldn’t get my station in Blue Earth anymore.”
The director of station KJLY approached the local fans to gauge interest in getting a translator in Owatonna and got a resounding yes.
“We have had an amazing group of supporters from Owatonna and the surrounding area,” Mrozek said, a group that spent the first couple of years raising money to buy all of the equipment needed for a translator.
“When we got on the air, we started branching out more,” she said. “We wanted to get our name out; let them know we’d have a frequency here.”
The station can be found at 93.5 FM.
The group has held Christian concerts at area churches but had attendance limits because of space.
“We’re hoping this is a good fit for the fair,” Mrozek said, “and we can continue this on an annual basis. “We’re kind of getting our feet wet here, and so is Scott” and the SCFF Board.
Kozelka plans to reach out to all the area churches, not only for potential sponsorships, “but for youth groups, too, to make it an event for them.”
He called OACR “a great partner of the fair,” and is excited to see the interest for the new type of entertainment.
“We hope this is a huge success,” said Mrozek. “We’re trusting God that he will provide everything we need, and it’s just a blessing for the community.
“That’s the purpose in doing it.”
Next year’s SCFF grandstand line-up:
Wednesday: Big Daddy Weave, Cochren & Co., 7 p.m.
Thursday: Snake Oil, 7:30 p.m.
Friday: TBA soon
Saturday: Bulls ‘n Barrels, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Demolition Derby, 2 p.m.
Tickets are available now for all performances. Prices reflect all additional fees.
To buy tickets online, head to scff.org/grandstand-1