Area celebrations kick into high gear

There should be no shortage of things to do for area residents as summer winds down and area festivals heat up.

Here is a rundown of area celebrations coming up through Labor Day.

The Grand River Rodeo will be holding its 41st annual event at the Grand River Rodeo Grounds on August 18 and 19.

The rodeo site is located one-half mile south of Grand River. The rodeo starts as 8 p.m. each night.

Ten championship events are set which include: bareback riding, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, team roping, over 40 calf roping, break-away roping, ranch bronc riding and Brahma Bull riding.

Muttin’ Bustin’ will be held each night starting at 7 p.m. Steer riding will also be held as well as the Chicken Run for ages 10 and under.

The annual Ayr Days celebration is set for Saturday, August 26.

With the theme “Till the Cows Come Home” this year’s Ayr Days will feature a full day’s worth of fun and activities for all ages.

The event is sponsored by the Mount Ayr Chamber of Commerce.

Here are just a few of the happenings during Ayr Days. See next week’s Record News for a full listing of activities.

Registration for the annual Ayr Days parade will take place from 9:15 to 9:45 a.m. at the corner of Fillmore and Jefferson streets. The parade gets underway at 10 a.m. with the Riggold County Cattlemen serving as grand marshals.

The Mount Ayr Lions Club train and swings will operate on the east side of the square from 11 a.m.  until 4 p.m.

There will be inflatables for the kids in the courtyard from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., sponsored by the Class of 2025;

Also, a mechanical bull will challenge riders until 4 p.m.

The motorcycle/car/tractor show on the south and west sides of the square will attract visitors from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. there will be Taylor’s Carriage Rides on the square and from 1-3 p.m. there will be a petting zoo on the square.

The kid’s  petal pull will begin at 2 p.m. on the east side of the square.

There will be Kids Water Fights and Smoke Demonstration, sponsored by the Mount Ayr Fire Department from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

 At 6 p.m. hypnotist Rick Bultez will perform at the basketball court.

 Tyler Folkert will perform from 7-10 pm. at the shelter house/lawn and south square.

The town of Tingley will host its annual Memorial Park celebration – the Homemade Pie and Ice Cream Social on Sunday, August 27.

As part of the celebration, the fourth annual Show and Shine car show will line up along Main Street The show will feature cars, antique cars, tractors, motorcycles, pick-ups, semi cabs and more.

Kids’ activities at the park by the  community building will include face painting from 4 – 4:30 p.m. and again from 5:15-6 p.m., a surprise four legged guest at the community park shelter, a nickel and quarter rush at 6:30 p.m., fire trucks from 3:30-6:00 p.m. by the tennis court, and a kids raffle at 6:45 p.m.

New this year, the top two winning pies in each category will be announced and auctioned off beginning at 5:00 p.m. Each contest winner (both pie and ice cream contests) will also be awarded $500 in prize money.

Public serving for the Hoover Angus Homemade Ice Cream contest and the Jenny Tull pie contest will follow the auction.

See next week’s Record News for a listing of all events taking place during the day.

The annual Diagonal Lions Club Labor Day celebration will feature three days filled with activities Saturday, September 2 through Monday, September 4.

On Saturday, a public serving of entries from the annual Diagonal Smoke meat smoking competition will be from 6-8 p.m. at the patio of 209 Broadway.

On Sunday there will be outdoor church services, a care and motorcycle show, kid’s petal pull and a three-on-three basketball tournament.

The first of many Labor Day pulls – the truck and tractor distance pull – will begin at 2:00 p.m. and last all evening.

The annual fireworks spectacular will light up the night skies following the conclusion of the tractor pull at approximately 9 p.m. or whenever the pull is over. Viewing from Fogle Lake is recommended.

Among the many Monday activities The “Mammoth Parade” will get under way at 10 a.m. The theme of this year’s parade is “Diagonal – Makin’ it Happen.”

A number of pulls also will take place during the day.

The Duck Regatta will begin at 5 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded with the first place prize earning $1,000, second $500, third $250, fourth $100 and fifth through tenth earning $50.  Tickets will be available up to 4 p.m. Monday, the day of the race.

See future advertising in the Record News and Diagonal Progress on complete celebration details.