Heritage Days is celebrating Mount Vernon’s 175th birthday, with a number of events and celebrations in the city this weekend.
The festival kicked off with the “Mount Vernon, Lisbon and Me” storytelling event at First Street Community Center sponsored by Mount Vernon Area Arts Council July 6.
Thursday eventsThe celebration continues tonight (Thursday, July 7), with a number of events at the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center in Mount Vernon.
Food trucks (including Willie Ray’s BBQ, Kona Ice, Caribbean Kitchen and Mexican food) will be providing food at the event, with live music provided by the band Flash in a Pan.
Bounce houses will also be available for youngsters.
The evening will conclude with a screening of the Alice in Wonderland movie (2016) on the side of the Buresh Center building.
Friday’s eventsFriday sees the festival returning to Kernoustie Golf Course, with a 3-person best shot golf tournament with a noon start. To sign up, contact Kernoustie Clubhouse at 319-895-8193.
The evening festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with registration for the Kids fun run. Food and beer tents open at roughly 6 p.m., and the fun run starts at 6 p.m.
Inflatables open from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
A hot air balloon glow is slated for 6 to 9 p.m., and live music starts from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Bagpipe music begins at 8:45 p.m.
The fireworks display concludes the evening’s activities.
Saturday’s eventsThe alumni breakfast will go from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Mount Vernon High School.
Parade will line up beginning at 9:30 a.m. Due to construction at the Small Sports Arena Complex, line-up will be held at the Myrt and Bill Bower Farm (203 Old Lincoln Highway N.W.) The theme for this year’s parade is “Happy 175th birthday, Mount Vernon!”
First Street West will close from Hwy. 1 all the way to 10th Avenue by Guppy’s for the parade from 10:30 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade.
The parade will head east down First Street West to Fifth Avenue North, where it will turn north and conclude at Seventh Street.
The Memorial Park Fun Zone will return again this year, with themed crafts and activities for kids. This year’s theme will be Alice in Wonderland, tying to the movies shown at the Heritage Days events.
There will also be carnival games and inflatables on First Steet in front of the old fire station, as well as a display of several of the large trucks and other vehicles used by the city parked in front of Ann Booth’s building in uptown Mount Vernon.
The Lions Club will host their Bingo games from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
At noon, poet laureate Amelia Kibbie will read a poem about Mount Vernon’s 175th birthday, and then Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theatre will perform. The Mount Vernon Wrestling team’s bean bag toss tournament will go from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., and the evening concludes with Crazy Delicious hosting a street dance.
The Mount Vernon pool will have a themed swim from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and conclude with a screening of the animated “Alice in Wonderland” movie.
Steet closures in uptownThe streets will close in uptown Mount Vernon at 2 p.m. Friday, July 8. First Street will be closed from Hwy. 1 to Third Avenue so portapotties, food vendors and a stage can be set up for Saturday’s festivities.
First Street West will close from Hwy. 1 all the way to 10th Avenue by Guppy’s for the parade on Saturday morning from 10:30 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade. First Street will remain closed from Fifth Avenue to Hwy. 1, to accommodate the activities of the Memorial Park Fun Zone activities. First Street will reopen to Third Avenue beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday.
First Street West will remain closed from Third Avenue to Hwy. 1 until 2 a.m. Sunday, July 10, with the conclusion of the festival.
SundayThe Iowa Women’s Softball League will be playing four games at Cornell College Van Metre Family Softball field. Game times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Admission is free to kids and a goodwill donation for adults. The games will be televised on KCRG 9.2 as well.