CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC

In only two weeks, a sea of bikes will make its way through State Center as they roll through to the overnight town of Marshalltown on Wednesday, July 22. Over the next few weeks, our goal is to prepare community residents and visitors for what to expect to avoid any surprises and make a ‘splash’ to the more than 30,000 visitors expected to ride that day.

BUCK-A-BIKE CAMPAIGN

Aside from the more than 400-miles worth of riding, RAGBRAI also helps to support the local communities they pass through on the 7-day journey across Iowa. Whether it’s supporting local food establishments or community organizations, the riders truly enjoy contributing to helping make these communities a better place through donations to important causes. We are launching the Buck-a-BIKE fundraiser this week so we can get the word out in advance to the riders passing through to help fund our new splash pad at Kauffman City Park! Through social media, newspaper, and signage up at all vendors setting up that day, our goal is to encourage all riders to donate at least $1.00 (a buck!) to the campaign. It doesn’t stop there…we encourage everyone in our community to help out the cause, too!

Every dollar we can raise lessens the obligation we have through the city towards this much needed improvement to something that has become a staple of the community. Our current splash pad was well-loved and needed to be replaced. The new one being installed provides a larger, more user-friendly and less damage-susceptible and ADA-compliant design. Whether you donate via the VENMO code below or drop a dollar or two into the donation jar at Central State Bank, all amounts are appreciated and we THANK YOU for supporting an amenity that draws many to our community!

ROUTE

In partnership with the city, the SCPD, and the RAGBRAI organization, the route for riders entering/riding/exiting was created in an effort to minimize disruption to local traffic but maximize exposure to Main Street. Please review the map below for the route which brings riders into town on old Highway 30 under the viaduct to 2nd Ave SW, up to Main Street where they will follow that all the way out to 5th Ave SE to where it meets back up to old Highway 30 out of town. There will be street closures on many east/west roads from the main route, but travel within these areas will generally be available. If you are along the route, plan accordingly to prepare for alternate access!

VOLUNTEERS WELCOMED!

We are still welcoming volunteers for Tuesday, July 21st and Wednesday, July 22nd. Help show off our Iowa Nice and why we are “At the Center of it All” and donate your time to make this an amazing experience for the riders! You can sign up using the QR code below or by sending an email to the State Center RAGBRAI committee at jthomas@statecenterpolice.org. If you’d like to order a t-shirt, read on to how you can get one still!

T-SHIRTS ON SALE THROUGH FRIDAY, JULY 10!

State Center RAGBRAI shirts are on sale through the end of day this Friday, July 10. You can order through the online order form at https://forms.gle/mUv2VnMcck3YYUHZ8 or fill out and return the form below with your payment to Central State Bank (they close at 5:00 pm Friday). Registered volunteer shirts will be neon; all others will be on a white shirt.

NEXT BIG COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP WEEKEND JULY 18-19

On the weekend leading up to RAGBRAI (July 18-19th ), we are encouraging everyone to step outside and take time to CLEAN-UP…that can mean anything from getting the lawn in shape to trimming up weeds/trees/bushes to cleaning up trash or junk piled up to a fresh coat of paint on a mailbox or shed. Perhaps a good power wash to the exterior of your home or garage or even planting a bush or flowers. There are so many things you can do that don’t require extra money that help spruce things up! Even small efforts–such as planting flowers, picking up litter, or helping a neighbor–can make a meaningful difference and showcase the beauty of our community.

NEXT WEEK’S INFO

Watch the paper and our RAGBRAI Facebook page “Ragbrai 2026 – Splash into State Center’ for the map of all vendors and their locations along with features on fun happenings going on throughout the day! We will also provide more detailed day-of instructions for traffic flow and road closures. Make sure to follow us on Facebook to watch for all the exciting updates as we get ready to have the 2026 riders Splash Into State Center!