HOLTON – Anyone who happened to be driving through Holton on Thursday night might have noticed an unusual sight in the parking lot of Daves Tavern.

There was a wrestling ring, surrounded by hundreds of excited people who all had chairs, but were up on their feet cheering most of the time.

They came for a presentation of the Micro Wrestling Federation – known to some as “midget wrestling” – and it was a huge hit.

It was the latest in a long line of unique entertainment options offered by Daves Tavern, 8529 Holton Rd., a popular restaurant that opened in 2020.  

For pro wrestling fans, the scene was familiar – heavily costumed wrestlers with stage names like Syko, Ivar, Pinky Shortcake, Chief Littlefoot, Lil Chola, Micro Tiger and Micro Suave – battling it out in the ring with all the quirky, well-executed moves that one would expect from a WWE show.

The show was actually more than wrestling. The first performer was a great singer who entered the ring and performed a few numbers. He warmed the crowd with a touching story about working hard to overcome a disability that had left him in a wheelchair, so he could get back to the life of entertainment he loves.

The performers, whether they were competing, singing or bantering with the crowd, managed to make a great connection with the 300-plus fans packed around the ring.

The only difference was that the wrestlers were little people, impacted by drawfism or restricted growth.  

Some people, including officials from the organization Little People of America, have been quoted as saying they consider such events exploitive and demeaning to the entertainers.

But the entertainers from the Micro Wrestling Federation consider themselves athletes, and clearly enjoy their work.

They like to make people laugh, cheer, relax and have a good time, and they’re not ashamed of that.

“There are people out there who think we’re being exploited and take offense to it, but we’re doing what we love to do, and not many people get the opportunity to do that,” said Breannah Belliveau, a former wrestler and referee who now manages the traveling show. “When we work in regular jobs, with people who are not little people, we often get discriminated against. Being with and working with people who have similar conditions really helps.”

Belliveau said the company does about 400 shows per year, on the road and at its home arena in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.  

She said the Holton fans ranked right up there with some of the more enthusiastic crowds the group has entertained.

“We got here and everybody was so excited and eager to see it,” Belliveau said. “Nobody seemed sure about what to expect, but we got the show rolling and everyone was cheering. It was a great time.”

The audience couldn’t get enough. Even as darkness set in, with a ring that was not particularly well lit, everyone stayed and kept screaming for more.

“It was badass!” said audience member Brian Cygiert moments after the show. “There’s nothing like it. It was fun!”

“It was something you don’t see every day,” added Shane Hendrickson. “It was different.”

Dan Taylor-Turbergen, co-owner of Daves Tavern, said he’s been wanting to bring the wrestling show to the area for several years, since he owned a movie theater in Fremont that was forced out of business by state-imposed COVID restrictions.

“Now that we have the restaurant, I really still wanted to do it, so I contacted them, and the rest is history!” he said.

“It was amazing. It turned out even better than I hoped for. The crowd reaction was great, and the wrestlers were really cool to talk to and get to know.

“We had a lot of people thank us and say it was one of the funnest things we’ve done.  They said they hoped we would bring it back next year, which we will probably do.”

The wrestling show was not out of the ordinary for Daves Tavern, which specializes in having the kind of attractions that other places don’t think of.

One very big hit a few years ago was the Adult Prom, which drew a huge crowd of customers all dressed up in formal wear. Another top draw was the “Holton’s Got Talent” competition, which packed the restaurant.

There have also been glow parties, outdoor movies, murder mystery dinners, a “wine, food and canvass” painting party, an ongoing comedy competition, and other types of offbeat fun.

“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” Taylor-Tubergen said, when asked about the inspiration for all the imaginative events. “We like to do fun stuff to keep things interesting and draw people to the area.”