When the Fourth of July falls on a Wednesday, not every community waits to have its festivities. In Gowrie, the Independence Day celebration begins on Saturday and continues until Wednesday. West Bend's festivities will be Friday through Sunday.
Lake City will hold its annual Western Days Friday through Sunday. Highlights include the parade at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and the Top Rail Saddle Club's 53rd Rodeo at 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. There will be a free shuttle from Goins Park and the Town Square to the rodeo starting at 5 p.m. Admission for adults is $10; $5 for children.
Gowrie's Saturday events include the Firecracker 40 Bike Ride, 8 a.m.; Prairie Valley Class of 1992 Reunion, 7 p.m.; and Karaoke, 9 p.m. All of the events are at Prairie View Golf Course and Barbecue Thief Grill. The schedule for the remaining days will appear in Sunday's Lifestyle section.
Other festivities include:
LAKE CITY: Friday, a carnival from 5 p.m. to midnight; Top Rail Saddle Club beer garden and street dance, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Lions Club pancake breakfast, 7 a.m.; Stewart Memorial Community Hospital Fun Run, 8:30 a.m.; vendors on the square, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Cattleman's Burgers, beginning at 11 a.m.; carnival, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., then 8 p.m. to midnight; parade, 1:30 p.m.; Slow Jam, immediately following parade, at the bandstand; Iowa Eagles Football Game, 4 p.m. at high school; Lake City Union Church Ice Cream Social, 3 to 5 p.m.; rodeo, 7 p.m.; fireworks following the rodeo. Sunday, Top Rail Saddle Club Brunch, 7 to 11 a.m., rodeo grounds; community worship, 11 a.m.; Shine and Show car show, 11 a.m., Goins Park; tractor pull, 11 a.m., NAPA on Iowa Highway 175; mud volleyball tournament and grill-out, 11:30 a.m., Goins Park; Friends of the Library Party and Grill-Out, noon to 1:30 p.m.; rodeo, 7 p.m. For more information, call (712) 464-7611 or visit www.LakeCityIowa.com.
WEST BEND: Friday, FFA Alumni Tractor Ride, 8 a.m, Registration starts at 7 a.m. at West Bend International; Palo Alto County Cattlemen barbecue, 5 to 7 p.m., Broadway Avenue; West Bend Mallard Softball vs. Clay Central-Everly, 5:30 p.m.; street dance featuring The Rude Band, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Broadway Avenue. Saturday: Parade lineup, 9:30 a.m.; parade judging, 10:30 a.m.; parade, 11 a.m. Food stands open at noon. Carnival games and Fern Valley 4-H Petting Zoo, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; bingo, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.; inflatable rides, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m.; West Bend Fire Department water fights, 1:30 p.m. Sign-up starts at noon at the east side of the school. Liberty Games, 3:30 p.m.; Pedal tractor pull, 5 p.m.; West Bend-Mallard Drill Team Performance, 6:15 p.m.; cow pie bingo, 6:30 p.m.; auction, 6:30 p.m.; Mindy's Miles Bike Give-Away, 8 p.m.; Sheltered Reality Drum Line, 8:30 p.m. Fireworks at dusk. All day: West Bend Ford's Corn Box, free swimming at the West Bend pool. Sunday: Chamber Breakfast, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., West Bend Community Center. For more information, visit westbendiowa.com/july-4.html.