Van Meter Visitor Festival Sept. 28 embraces spooky fun
Celebrate some uniquely Iowa folklore at the Van Meter Visitor Festival
Sep
2024
26
LOCAL CULTURE
May
2024
22
12 Iowa towns that are constantly mispronounced
How many of these town names do you really know? If you're wondering how European immigrants came up with some of these Iowa town names in the 19th century, and then proceeded to pronounce them the craziest ways you can imagine, read on. Read: Iowa Weird: The...
Apr
2024
2
Read a new book from one of these 10 Iowa authors
You probably have heard all about "The Bridges of Madison County." Or how occasional Iowa resident Mark Twain counted Muscatine's sunsets among the best he'd ever seen (and he was a world traveler!). Or how Kurt Vonnegut finished "Slaughterhouse-Five" at the...
Feb
2024
15
Crafty Grandma: Waterloo craft-fluencer sharing her skills
Sue Wright and I had been chatting over coffee for a while, about her crafting projects, her tiny cardboard houses, and her YouTube presence, when I noticed the buttons of her shirt bore a striking resemblance to buttons inside of the miniature house she was...
Jan
2024
12
15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day events across Iowa in 2024
They say Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday held this year on Jan. 15, 2024, should be "a day on, not a day off." So in that spirit, here are some events coming up honoring—and furthering the legacy of—one of this country's greatest civil rights leaders....
Jan
2024
9
No more Kum & Go? New owner Maverik of Utah retiring famous brand
Will Kum & Go have come and gone by next year? One new report claims that's the plan by the store's new owners. The Iowa-based convenience store chain Kum & Go—a brand occasionally mocked outside of the Midwest for its mildly salacious name—was bought by...
Dec
2023
20
Feeling charitable? Donate to an Iowa nonprofit that’s Iowan-approved.
It had to be the most popular question we've ever asked:
Which charity helping Iowans should folks donate to this year?
Hundreds of worthy causes across the state were mentioned.
Dec
2023
13
Celebrate Las Posadas at these Iowa events
Las Posadas, Spanish for "inn" or "lodging," celebrates (and sometimes recreates) the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem taken by Mary and Joseph, and their search for shelter, as described in the Christian Bible. It's celebrated during the nine days leading up to...
Dec
2023
7
Find the perfect Christmas tree at these 24 Iowa farms
Iowa farmers only plant corn and beans, you say? Tell that to the 100+ Christmas tree farms dotted across Iowa's snowy landscape this time of year, where you can pick out the perfect Scotch pine, white pine, Canaan fir, Douglas fir, Frasier fir, Colorado blue...
Dec
2023
6
Get in the Christmas spirit with these 10 Iowa light displays
As the holiday season commences, so do the festivities! Light shows are a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, spend time with your community, and appreciate local attractions. From the largest amusement park in the state to a family farm, here are 10 of the...
