REVIEW #4700!…read more Sweetcorn Days is my home town's big summer festival and arguably the annual highlight of Estherville's social calendar. It's sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and runs from Thursday - Sunday during the first weekend in August. Event highlights include the Opening Ceremonies (Presentation of the Flames/Burning of the Cobs), the Remember the Fallen Display, Classic Cars, the Run for the Cobb Foot Race, Free Sweet Corn, and of course the big Saturday Morning Parade. And that's just the tip of the iceberg event-wise. I was in the Parade as Sweetcorn Days is a great weekend for various High School Reunion classes to get together. For the Class of 1974 (Yes I'm Old), that included our own Parade float, followed up dinner later that day at the Softtail Saloon in Superior, and lots of good conversation with a room full of friends. I had a great time and I was particularly happy to show off my home town to Gayle and my Son. Both in turn, learned a little bit more about where I'm from and how we stand together. One name for that is Midget Pride.

Love this place! We go every year. The fall festival is great. Pet the goats, jump in the bouncy…read morecastles, play in the kids corner, pick your pumpkin, hay ride, slide, story teller, maze, scare crow making and so much more to do with the family! Before you leave you have to get an Apple Cider Slush! Yum!

From the owner: Center Creek Orchard invites you and your family to come and experience the Fall Festival. Our…read moregoal is to provide you with apples that are freshly picked and a day full of fun in a family atmosphere. Festival activities include hayrides, storytelling, corn pile, scarecrow building, castle bouncer, giant maze, apple sling, barrel ride, crawling tunnels, super slide, and haunted forest. Pick your own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and select apples from over a dozen Minnesota varieties.

I returned to the Clay County Fair on it's last day (Sunday) of the 2014 event. I drove all the way…read moreup from Ames for the Day, instead of other Sunday alternatives (like the Tom Harkin's last steak fry in Indianola), and never looked back (except to check for the Iowa Highway Patrol). I paid $5 to park less than a half-block away, and then entered what is perhaps the best County Fair ever. I spent most of my time marveling at the huge displays of farm equipment (of various brands), barns full of farm animals, and various commercial exhibits. . I also got to visit with one of the Richter brothers of 3 Sons fame, enjoy some of the Art at the Barn, listen to some good music, watch some cool model trains and some chain saw art, and of course nosh down on a nutty bar. I left feeling happy, healthy and terrific, and i really hope that I can come back next year.

The people of NW Iowa claim this is the greatest county fair in the world. I have been to multiple…read morecounty fairs in Iowa and I will say it's the best one I've been to so far. The fair does a great job of providing lots of things to see and do. If you like animals they have everything from horses and cows to bunnies and goats. They have typical fair events like carnival rides, farm equipment, and an expo area. They also have fun different things like a baking contest, table setting contest, and a big railroad area. Like any fair most people go there for the food and this fair is no exception. Clay county fair is known for its Nutty Bar ice cream bars. It also has a boat load of food venders. I got the bacon tenderloin that had bacon ground up in the meat and it was great. All in all I can't recommend the fair enough. I still prefer the Iowa State Fair more but you truly can't go wrong with either. If you go to this fair I guarantee you will find a couple things you enjoy.

Mankato Riverfront Park/Vetter Stone Amphitheater…read more Well me and my Gal took a drive to Mankato for another of our Kid un-friendly events. We got tickets for a concert at the Vetter Stone Amphitheater at the Mankato Riverfront Park. We found some street parking close by and had a short walk into the park. Grabbed our 21+ wrist bands and headed to the beer tent. The line moved fast enough but as the night progressed we found out they really needed a few more tents. They had a full bar but cheap crappy beer. $4.50 for a Tall Boy Grain Belt wasn't bad. At least it wasn't expensive crappy beer. Standing in beer line ended up being some of the best entertainment at the event. So the lineup was Lita Ford, then Dokken, next Sebastian Bach and closing out the Show Ratt. We would have preferred to have just seen Lita and Sebastian as neither one of us were big fans of Ratt and Dokken back in the day. Lita Ford... Still hot at 54. Great show, Old stuff new stuff and even Cherry Bomb from the Runaways. 4 Stars. Dokken... We were pleasantly surprise we ended up enjoying them more than I thought we would. 3 Stars. Sebastian Bach... Kicked Butt! Still has the voice and puts on a great show. It was great when he stopped the show a few times to "encourage" the fans to get pumped up. Plus he has an awesome bass player. (I have all ways liked a great bass player better then an average lead guitar) 5 Stars. Ratt... I could take a pass. They were boring compared to the other 3 bands. We left the concert before they were done with their set. It was phoned in music in the 80's and hasn't improved with age. 2 Stars. The Park and Amphitheater... Good acoustics, great sight lines, they had plenty of Biffs, (however as I mentioned not enough beer tents) You can bring a chair or blanket if you want. (we had a blanket along but rock n rollers don't sit much during concerts ) 4 Stars.

Just attended our first event here - overall, it's a nice local venue and I'm hoping they can get…read moresome more great entertainment here. I understand it has been renovated, but had never been here prior. Seating - was all assigned and chairs were provided. The seating and rows were very tight. Bars - good, food trucks were also available which was fun/unique- but we had ate prior to the event, so we didn't try them. Restrooms - were just portapotty's - was often a line, could use some more. No lights, so hard to use once it got dark. Security - to get into the event went fine- checked ID's, bags, and metal detector.

This is such a cute little museum, honestly I didn't read about the stuff, I should have, but I…read morewas there to ride the slide. It's amazing the fun amusement park stuff that they've kept over the years. The slide was so fun. I could have done that all day. I was a giggling mess by the time I made it down. Climbing the stairs was killer, but worth it. the had free admission during winter games. I'm so glad I stopped in to check it out.

My Son specifically asked to come here during our Summer 2013 visit to Arnold's Park. The Museum is…read morepretty cool as various Iowa Bands are featured, and there are neat mock ups of former recording studios and the old Fox Lake Ballroom in Sherburn. I also have a friend whose Husband a member of Sticks and Stones, who were inducted in the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. Then there are the fond memories of Head East and the Rumbles... Admission is $1 each and well worth the time to wander though this fun and educational slice of Iowa music history. The Kids Are Alright!

We had a great time. Food was wonderful. We did a bruschetta starter, carnivore pizza and cookie…read moreice cream dessert. The food and drinks we are excellent. Service was friendly and fast. The vibe is laid back. We will return.

We are from the metro area and love this place. We drive down to hunt in the fall and stop in…read moreseveral times while we are there. The staff is great and very helpful. The food is also great. We really like sitting out on the deck when it's nice. Thanks for a great time Andy and Krista!

We buy all of our annuals, perennials, shrubs, and plants from Drummers and have also used them for…read morefloral arrangements. Every time we're there, someone is happy to help and answer questions without making you feel rushed or silly for asking. You can tell they genuinely care and know what they're talking about. We also love that they're a local, small business, which makes supporting them even better!

Drummer's is an amazing greenhouse and gift store. Very knowledgeable staff with quality plants. To…read morethe people that left 1 star reviews, it was a pandemic, cut them some slack. Good grief.

The last of 2 reviews for the Pearson Lakes Art Center (PLAC) was 10 years ago? This place is a…read morereal treasure, and this place has always been on my "must go" list when I'm visiting the Iowa Great Lakes. It's located right next to the Okoboji Summer Theatre, with its impressive building sitting on a nice piece of land with a pretty northern view. Gayle and I are members, even though we live way out here in Genoa Nevada. Gayle and I fell in love with the Iowa Art shown here years ago, and as we've contacted some of the artists (particularly Hank Hall and Daniel Ruf), we've grown to deeply appreciate the imagination, professional skill, and great friendships coming from their work. PLAC is a well-regarded anchor for these regional artistic endeavors, via their gift shop, annual auction, and specific exhibits. On the main floor, PLAC has a nice gift shop and a couple nice galleries. The front one changes themes fairly frequently, while the one in the back has featured Russian impressionism for at least the last few years. There's another gallery downstairs and a hallway that features the work of local artists. If I lived in the area more regularly, PLAC offers classes, children's programs, and a fairly impressive live entertainment calendar.

My sister is an artist, so I knew we had to head out and check this one. Very lovely permanent…read morecollection...as well as lovely local artist collections. It was a beautiful building, had friendly staff, and was free when we went!! (Thursdays!) Great way to add a bit of culture to a stay at the lake.