Help Northfield Defeat the James-Younger Gang

Northfield townsfolk defeated the James-Younger Gang in about seven minutes.

Planning and promoting the annual festival that commemorates the shootout takes awhile longer—like all year.

Volunteers in charge of staging this year's Defeat of Jesse James Days joined for their regular biweekly meeting at on Tuesday. Many of the gold golf shirt-clad people in attendance had already been working hard for weeks and months on their portion of the festival as it draws nearer.

DJJD annually draws thousands of Northfield residents and visitors to town the weekend after Labor Day. The festival marks the anniversary of the failed bank robbery attempt on the First National Bank of Northfield by famed outlaw Jesse James and his gang in 1876.

This year’s festival runs from Sept. 7-11. Two new events—a soapbox derby and mounted shooting—have been added this year. Also planned is a remembrance of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C., New York City and Pennsylvania.

The festival begins with the Joseph Lee Heywood and Nicolaus Gustavson graveside memorial service on Sept. 7.

The committee who organizes the event knows a thing or two about volunteerism. It prides itself on leading one of Minnesota's largest all-volunteer events.