You can't miss it! World's tallest nutcracker stands over Luverne
Luverne is now home to the world's tallest nutcracker.
The new attraction in the community, which already has more nutcrackers than people, is along U.S. 75 next to longtime local business Those Blasted Things.
But visitors won't have a hard time finding the giant nutcracker. Standing 65-feet-tall, the patriotic fellow is easily seen from Interstate 90 near the South Dakota border.
While the statue is not yet formally recognized as the tallest nutcracker in the world, its nearly twice the height of the current record-holder in Neuhausen, Germany.
Luverne resident Katie Walgrave designed the statue, which took several years to complete and was privately funded by the nonprofit Just For Nuts. Once the electrical wiring is finished, the nutcracker will have a working jaw and be able to crack nuts.
Luverne is home to the third-largest nutcracker collection in the world thanks to resident Betty Mann, who collected more than 6,000 nutcrackers and then donated her collection to the town's History Center. The center already draws thousands of visitors annually, and residents hope the nutcracker will further boost the city's' tourism economy.
The community will celebrate the new statue at the annual Nutcracker Fest, which will take place July 17-18. A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned and the nutcracker will also be named during the festival.
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