Ax throwers participate in

Scandinavian Summer event

By Robert Stevens

Managing editor

6-18-2020

EPHRAIM—Saturday’s axe tournament saw dozens of competitors hurl axes at targets to win prizes and respect.

The winner of the men’s bracket was Shaun Kjar, Ephraim City Manager, who climbed the bracket ladder steadily throughout the tournament. The women’s winner was Lisa Estey. There was also a youth bracket, which was taken by Caspian Bahlmann.

Each axe thrower took their turn aiming for wooden targets at Bad Axes, a relatively new business in Ephraim where you can go to throw axes for fun during business hours.

Referees were on hand to tally the score and announce the winners.

The event was part of Ephraim City’s Scandinavian Summer, where something new happens each weekend to celebrate the town’s Scandinavian heritage. The summer-long celebration has been an attempt to make a safe compromise to the traditional Scandinavian Festival hosted each year in Ephraim.

“We are trying to hold our events so they involve the local businesses,” Michael Patton, Ephraim recreation director, said.

The annual Scandinavian Festival brings thousands of tourists to Ephraim each year, and that tourism injects a great deal of money into the local economy, especially small businesses.

After the pandemic put restrictions on large gatherings, Ephraim City wanted to find a good way to still help the local economy while maintaining good social distancing practices during the public health crisis.