Red, white and blue thank yous

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO - The Combined Honor Guard led the way at the inaugural Fourth of July parade that wound through the 13th Street District and the Iowa Veterans Home campus.
Marshalltown is Iowa’s largest hometown. We are big enough to do anything, yet small enough that we collaborate on everything. Never has that been truer than with the 1st annual “Red, White & Blue Celebration.”
Marshalltown has long had a committed fireworks committee who have selflessly and relentlessly given time and effort to assure we could revel in the “oohs” and “ahhs” of exploding fireworks. This year, I was honored to be a part of a bigger team and dream to make Marshalltown, Iowa’s 4th of July destination.
Representatives from the Iowa Veterans Home, Marshalltown Area United Way, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, Arts + Culture Alliance, 13th Street District, Marshalltown Fireworks Committee, Marshalltown Girls Softball Association, Marshalltown Little League, Restore Church, JJ Aerial, KDAO-TV, Kiwanis Matins, and Marshalltown City Council came together to dream. We started with a simple commitment. “Let’s make sure we first honor our veterans with every aspect of the celebration”. Out of this commitment, we started dreaming of “wouldn’t it be cool, if …”
On July 3, the dream became a reality. Starting on 13th Street and winding up Liberty Lane on the Iowa Veterans Home grounds, the Car Cruise-in engaged the enamored crowd with a record-breaking 92 cars! The night was capped off with phenomenal live music from Damon Dotson and his band. Aside from the unwanted guests, mosquitoes, it was a hit all around.
On July 4, the ball kept rolling, kicked off by the Marshalltown Police Department leading the 1st 4th of July parade down 13th Street and through the Iowa Veterans Home and ending at Sheeler Hall. To see the throngs of community and veterans out to soak in the revelry was an incredible sight to behold. In talking to many, people talked about how unexpectedly emotional it was to see veterans saluting the color guard as they walked by.
From there the festivities continued from the Arts + Culture “Biggest Picnic Blanket” to food trucks, Restore kids’ activities, and facepainting from Fuzzy Flower Face Painting. The afternoon at the Iowa Veterans Home ended with KDAO-TV broadcasting a Marshalltown Girls Softball Association All-Star game, featuring players from Marshalltown, Montezuma, Grinnell, West Marshall, BCLUW and East Marshall. Along with a Marshalltown Baseball All-Star game of players from 5th-7th Game. The baseball game ending in an incredible come from behind walk off 13-12 victory from Marshalltown “White.”
As with anything new, the new fireworks locations brought about many thoughts before the event. By the end of the event, 99.9% of those views turned in “Wow, that was awesome.” From Laurel to Lamoille, and from the Iowa Veterans Home to Fisher Elementary, and everywhere in between, the fireworks were visible and vibrant to onlookers.
All of this to say, “Thank you.”
Thank you to the Iowa Veterans Home, Marshalltown Area United Way, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, Arts + Culture Alliance, 13th Street District, Marshalltown Fireworks Committee, Marshalltown Girls Softball Association, Marshalltown Little League, Restore Church, JJ Aerial, KDAO-TV, Kiwanis Matins, Marshalltown City Council, Marshalltown Public Transit Department, many food trucks, vendors, volunteers, and you.
Thank you to City of Marshalltown, Marshall County, Dave’s Coffee Cakes, Emerson, UFCW/JBS, Matins Kiwanis Club, Lennox Credit Union, Marshalltown Company, Junk Relief, UAW, Karl’s of Marshalltown, Community Choice Credit Union, Members 1st Credit Union, Exterior + Home Remodeling and our community for donations to the fireworks.
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Dylan Does is the tourism director for the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce.