The small northwest Iowa community of Washta (WASH-tah) is hosting its 50th annual Grand Meadow Heritage Festival this coming weekend. Event coordinator Bethany Grell says the celebration in the Cherokee County town puts a spotlight on farm equipment of all sorts, including many exceptionally rare antiques.
The festival will feature a heritage tractor show, live demonstrations, and an antique tractor pull. Grell says there will be a special showcase for America’s 250th birthday called the Symbol of Freedom exhibit, a stand-alone traveling display focused on the many incarnations of the Stars and Stripes.
The 46th star on the flag represents Oklahoma, which joined the Union in 1907, and the flag was only our nation’s official banner for about four years. The festival in Washta — population of around 200 — is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday (September 12 and 13).
