Get ready for the return of one of the most popular events in Marshall County — Oktemberfest.

Marshalltown’s biggest yearly festival will return this year for four days packed with family fun

Sept. 23 through Sept. 26, with a theme of “Fire, Ice, Iowa Nice.”

Oktemberfest board president Duane Dixon said there are a few new changes in the works for this year’s festival, but does not want to give anything away yet before official announcements are made.

He is looking forward to event attendees getting a look at Marshalltown’s downtown area with the Marshall County Courthouse being in more of a completed stage from the outside.

“Most, if not all, of the scaffolding around the courthouse is now down and there is the possibility of the construction fence being down by that weekend too,” Dixon said. “Several buildings along Main Street and downtown either have or will have construction activity going on. Some are nearly or already completed too, so positive changes will be visible all around the downtown area.”

Between downtown construction, getting a late start on planning and trying to work around COVID-19 pandemic protocols, the Oktemberfest board decided to cancel the event in 2020.

Traditional attractions and events will return in 2021 to downtown Marshalltown, such as a kid’s night on Thursday including a fun run plus the beloved Miss and Mister Oktemberfest.

The rest of the weekend will feature a car show, motorcycle show, food vendors, beer sales, craft merchants, a carnival and live music.

Oktemberfest’s Grand Parade on Main Street from Ninth Street to Second Avenue will start at 10 a.m. on Sept. 25. A returning event this year is a 7 a.m. 5K and 10K run in the early morning before the parade.

Planning and preparing for the event is a group effort accomplished by many, Dixon said. Close to 20 members make up the Oktemberfest board and meetings begin as early as February to begin putting together the event.

Some events could use more people helping out:

• The Motorcycle Show is in need of six volunteers

• The Sept. 26 Food Competition needs four

• The Car Hop could use six

• The Car Show, six

• The 5K, four

• Kids Night could use 16 volunteers

• Cleanup crews are still needed

For a full schedule of events, registrations or to sign up to volunteer at the event, visit www.oktemberfest.com.

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Contact Trevor Babcock at 641-753-6611 or tbabcock@timesrepublican.com.