The online “Iowa Festivals Guide” indicates hundreds of community celebrations have been scheduled during the summer of 2026. That includes one organized by a volunteer fire department that serves a community of about 300 residents. Peterson Fire Days start today (Friday) with a street dance and a movie night, followed by Saturday morning’s parade, a corn hole tournament with cash prizes and — for the first time ever — chicken bingo. Fire Chief Luke Zalaznik says there will be a grid laid out on the ground from 4 ’til 8 p.m. Saturday.
Estherville’s “Sweet Corn Days” got underway Thursday with an official “burning of the cobs” and they’ll start serving free sweet corn at noon on Saturday. Lexie Ruter — executive director of the Estherville Area Chamber of Commerce — says there’s a free movie in the park tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) there’s a parade, a mud volleyball tournament for adults and a lot of kids’ activities, too.
Heritage Days are underway in Forest City, with Civil War reenactments scheduled this weekend, plus special events are being planned to honor Desert Storm and Afghanistan veterans. Riley Lewis with the Winnebago County Historical Society says a Huey helicopter is on its way to Forest City.
Other town festivals scheduled for this weekend include the Biz Jazz Festival in Davenport and Operation T-Bone in Audubon.
