Bookmark This List: 100+ (Weird, One-of-a-Kind) Community Events in 99 Iowa Counties.

Clear Lake Kite Festival. Awesome. Real, real cold.

Last week, I shared a Fairly Comprehensive List of 2024 Community Events in the Mississippi Delta-ish. Not to be outdone by my own self (idk), I upped the ante and embarked on creating one for Iowa, my current home, that included every nook and cranny of the state.

To do this well, I hit up the big guns: my top-notch colleagues in the Community and Economic Development unit at Iowa State Extension and Outreach (of which I am the Community Art Specialist). No big surprise, they delivered. Naturally, Husband Aaron was involved, since he’s way more of an Iowa expert than I am. This list began in 2023, and I’ve begun to add more events for 2024. As always, comment below to let me know what' I’m missing!

The intent:

• Showcase the diversity of Iowa’s people, places and cultures.

• Represent every county and corner of the state.

• Celebrate the creativity and weirdness found across Iowa every month of the year.

Enjoy. Tell your friends. Add to the list in the comments below.

January

• Head bob at the Kee Live Music Festival in Cherokee (Cherokee County).

• Lace up during the Open Skating Hours at the Skate Palace in Ida Grove (Ida County).

• Dust off your binoculars at the Annual Bald Eagle Appreciation Days in Keokuk and Montrose (Lee County).

• Attend the Iowa Winter Rec Fest in Iowa Falls (Hardin County).

• Fill up at the Sawmill Museum Food and Beverage Fest in Clinton (Clinton County).

• Watch (or participate in!) the University of Okoboji Winter Games (Dickinson County).

February

• Saddle up for the BRR (Bike Ride to Rippee) Ride (in Dallas and Greene counties).

• Witness Twinterfest at Twin Lakes (Calhoun County).

• Celebrate I’ll Make Me a World in Iowa: African American Day in Des Moines (Polk County).

• Hoop and holler at the Lake Meyer Ice Fishing Derby in Fort Adkinson (Winneshiek County).

• Play in the Winter Funderland in Peterson (O’Brien County).

• Tee up at the Artic Open Golf Tournament in Lake View (Sac County).

• Brave the Color the Wind: Clear Lake Kite Festival (Cerro Gordo County).

• Attend the Frostbite Olympics in Algona (Kossuth County).

The key is to living in Iowa is getting outside no matter how miserable it is. Hence, the BRR Ride.

March***

• Check out Rock Rapids Farm and Home Show (Lyon County).

• Attend Fairfield’s First Friday Art Walk (Jefferson County).

• Raise a pint on St. Patrick’s Day in Emmetsburg (Palo Alto County).

• Watch the Oneota Film Festival in Decorah (Winneshiek County).

  *** I don’t know if folks are too busy with Lent fish fries, March Madness, or everybody’s in Arizona or Florida, but it seems to me that the month of March, state-wide, is a real opportunity. Just sayin’.

They have overnight stays too. I dare you.

 April

• Tour the Villisca Ax Murder House (Montgomery County).

• Witness Prairie Chicken Day (Ringgold County).

• Jam out at Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City (Johnson County).

• Gather at the Community Easter Egg Hunt in Corning (Adams County).

• Or head to Eggstavaganza in Grundy Center (Grundy County).

• Prowl the Crawford County Speedway Spring Fling (Crawford County).

• Trot the Bonnie & Clyde Run/Walk from Dexter to Stuart (Adair County).

 May

• Tiptoe through Pella Tulip Time (Marion County).

• Take in Orange City’s Tulip Festival (Sioux County).

• Skip along the Red Brick Run in Bedford (Taylor County).

• Gear for Elk Horn’s Danish Tivoli Fest (Shelby County).

• Blow your mind watching Burlington’s Snake Alley Criterium (Des Moines County).

Birthplace of Captain Kirk = Birth of Trek Fest.

June

• Attend Scandinavian Days in Story City (Story County).

• Catch the Cops & Bobbers Annual Fishing Derby (Hamilton County).

• Check out the Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda (Page County).

• Discover Heartland Days in New Hampton (Chickasaw County).

• No sleep til the Brooklyn Flag Festival (Poweshiek County).

• Don’t miss Ice Cream Days in Le Mars (Plymouth County).

• Celebrate Good Ol’ Summertime with the community of Sibley (Osceola County).

• Get your feet wet at the Charles City Whitewater Challenge Festival (Floyd County).

• Participate in Fort Dodge’s Pride Festival (Webster County).

• Gear up for Trekfest in Riverside (Washington County).

• Check out Sauerkraut Days in Ackley (Hardin County).

• Check out Jesse James Chuckwagon Days in Adair (Adair/Guthrie County).

• Visit Flag Fest in Spencer (Clay County).

• Party it up at the High Trestle Fest (Boone/Dallas/Story Counties).

• Soak it up at the Loess Hills Prairie Seminar (Monona County).

typical scenes from RAGBRAI.

JULY

• Pull on your boots for the Leon Rodeo (Decatur County).

• Drop in on Shell Rock’s Fourth of July Celebration (Butler County).

• Visit the Keokuk County Expo (Keokuk County).

• Have a great time at Elma Trail Days (Howard County).

• Visit a million of your best friends at Trucker’s Jamboree in Wolcott (Muscatine County).

• Get your groove on at Bourbon, Brews, and BBQ in Bancroft (Kossuth County).

• Holler at the Wapello Pro Rodeo (Louisa County).

• Ride RAGBRAI (statewide).

• Trek to Nordic Fest in Decorah (Winnesheik County).

• Brace yourself for Guthrie’s River Ruckus (Guthrie County).

• Chill at the Backbone Bluegrass Festival in Strawberry Point (Clayton County).

• Crane your neck at the National Balloon Classic in Indianola (Warren County).

• Visit Altoona’s CORNival Celebration (Polk County).

• Attend Snake Alley’s Festival of Film in Burlington (Des Moines County).

Elma Trail Days

August

• Discover Boone’s Pufferbilly Days (Boone County).

• Expand your mind at DBQFest (Dubuque County).

• Carpool to the Steam Threshing Festival in Forest City (Winnebago County).

• Hitchhike to Britt’s legendary Hobo Days (Hancock County).

• Participate in Fertile Days (Worth County).

• Get your fill at Adel’s Sweet Corn Festival (Dallas County).

• Watch Tug Fest in Le Claire (Scott County).

• Attend the Meskwaki Powwow (Tama County).

• Visit Monroe’s Old Settlers Celebration (Jasper County).

• Drop by Corydon Old Settlers Reunion (Wayne County).

• Cheer on the River Runners Regatta and Cardboard Boat Race in Manchester (Decatur County).

• Participate in Dows Corn Days (Wright County).

• Hop on the RashRideToo (Buchanan County).

• Watch Boomtown in Vinton (Benton County).

• Sign up for Onawa’s Onabike XXX (Monona County).

• March in the Cedar Valley Pridefest (Black Hawk County).

Waiting for the Pancake Day Parade to begin. Centerville square.

 September

• Catch the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion (Henry County).

• Dance at the Polka Fest (Humboldt County).

• Head over to the West Liberty Children’s Festival (Muscatine County).

• Train for the Wabash Trace Marathon (Fremont County).

• Attend Bellevue’s Fishtival (Jackson County).

• Check out the Northeast Iowa Farm Crawl (Allamakee County).

• Celebrate at the Storm Lake Proud Multicultural Festival (Buchanan County).

• Road trip to the Annual Hot Air Balloon Days in Creston (Union County).

• Participate in VIVA Ottumwa (Wapello County).

• Go to Asian Fest in Cedar Rapids (Linn County).

• Boogie at the Davis County Country and Old Time Music Festival (Davis County ).

• Sightsee at Autumn Artistry in and around Osage (Mitchell County).

• Caffeinate at Coca-Cola Days in Atlantic (Cass County).

• Ride the Snaggy Ridge 105 Gravel Bike Race (Cedar County).

• Attend Oelwein’s Fall Fling (Fayette County).

• Grab a spot at Avoca Main Street’s Longest Table Event (Pottawattamie County).

• Eat your fill at Centerville’s Pancake Day (Appanoose County).

• Pack up for Apple Fest (Harrison County).

• Check out the Great Akron Scarecrow Festival (Plymouth County).

• Dance at Albia’s Second Annual County and Bluegrass Music Festival (Monroe County).

• Watch the Iowa Independent Film Festival in Mason City and Clear Lake (Cerro Gordo).

• Attend the Southwest Iowa Art Tour (multiple counties).

Downtown Marshalltown, home to Festival Cultural.

October

• Experience Riverssaince in Sioux City (Woodbury County).

• Celebrate Festival Cultural in Marshalltown (Marshall County).

• Cheers at Oktoberfest, Amana (Iowa County).

• Pick a winner at Anamosa Pumpkin Fest (Jones County).

• Bottoms up at Waverly’s Oktoberfest, (Bremer County).

• Relax along the Scenic Drive Festival (Van Buren County).

• Check out the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival (Madison County).

• Brave Fright Hike in Estherville (Emmet County).

Lights in Oskaloosa.

November: 

• Attend the Day of the Dead at La Luz Centro Cultural in New Hampton (Franklin County).

• Toast your pals at the Osecola Wine Walk (Clarke County).

• Attend the Annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Wish Lantern Launch in Malvern (Mills County).

• Experience Dazzle Fest in Chariton (Lucas County).

• Celebrate the Leonard Olson Memorial Art Walk in Pocahontas (Pocahontas County).

 December

• Take A Victorian Stroll in Albia (Monore County).

• Witness the LIghted Christmas Parade in Oskaloosa (Mahaska County).

• Participate in Exira’s Festival of Lights (Audubon County).

• Attend Christmas in a Small Town in Coon Rapids (Carroll County).

• Watch one of many TubaChristmas performances in Iowa (statewide).

• Stroll the Festival of Trees in Malvern (Mills County).

And Now, My ask for you….

In the comments below, please add to this list. What have I missed, besides county fairs (on purpose)?

I’ll edit the document as I hear from you, and I hope to post this yearly.

Caucusing. One of the very best things about living in Iowa. Democracy in action.

P.S. Getting around the state, make sure you understand the lingo. Read How to Speak Ioweigan for more tips. : )