Earlham Freedom Fest

Wednesday and Thursday • 7/3 & 7/4
Earlham

Earlham has more fun in store during their Independence Day festivities which begin with a free will pork loin supper on Wednesday, July 3rd, from 7:00 to 11:00pm at the Legion Hall. Bring your lawn chair because after your yummy pork loin you can find a spot to sit near Chestnut Street in front of the West Side Bar & Grill until your toe-tapping feet take to the street at the Street Dance from 8:00 pm – midnight.

Thursday, your Independence Day celebration can begin with a pancake breakfast at the Earlham Fire Station or cinnamon rolls & juice at the Earlham Friends Church. The parade will begin at 10:00 am with fireworks at dusk. Tucked between breakfast and fireworks, they’ve got loads of other fun stuff planned so check out their full schedule.

B.R.A.T. – Bike Ride Around Town

Friday • 7/5 • 5:00 pm
Meet at City Park

All ages can join the Winterset Park & Recreation Department for this fun bike ride around town on next Friday evening. Riders will begin leaving City Park at 5:00 and ride the SHARROWS around Winterset. (Maps of the shared road way route will be provided). The route is 7 miles and you are welcome to ride it as many times as you would like. After your ride head to the North Shelter for food and live music at the First Friday Concert Series. This is the second of 3 rides this summer – final ride will be August 2nd.

First Friday Concert Series – Malcolm Wells and the Two Timers

Friday • 7/5 • Music begins at 7:00 pm
Winterset City Park

The second in the “First Friday” Concert Series will be held in the north shelter area at Winterset City Park on Friday, July 5th. Hot food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be for sale beginning at 6:00 pm and live music begins at 7:00 pm. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets, relax on the gently sloping hillside, and enjoy the summer sunset as a backdrop to great live music from provided by Malcolm Wells & the Two Timers.

Patterson Patriotic Parade

Friday • 7/5 • 7:00pm
Patterson Community Building

If you feel like continuing your Independence Day Celebration for an extra day, Patterson has you covered on Friday, July 5th, with a parade, a grill-out and other family-friendly activities. The parade will start at 7:00pm (be there at 6:30 if you’d like to be in the parade) and fireworks will start at dusk.

Madison County Farmers Market

Saturday • 7/6 • 8:00 am – Noon
Winterset Square

You never know what you will find Saturday morning from 8:00 am to Noon on the courthouse lawn—beautiful flowers, delicious fruit, nutritious vegetables and wonderful coffee just to name a few. Stop by and see what they have to offer!

Live Music Saturday – Hold On!

Saturday • 7/6 • 6:30 – 9:30pm
Winterset Cidery

Head out to the Cidery and enjoy a glass (or 2) of their Apple Pie Hard Cider while listening to Hold On, a premier cover/dance band playing classic rock spanning 5 decades.  $5 cover charge.  Rescue Burgers will be serving up “All American” food this Saturday including burgers, brats, & ribeye sandwiches.

This Weekend at the Iowa Theater

The Biggest Little Farm

This powerful, deeply personal documentary is both a memoir and an exploration of John and Molly Chesters’ quest to make their dream of living on a fully sustainable farm come true. Even though they don’t seem to know much about farming (although she’s an avid gardener), they somehow convince investors to loan them substantial amounts of money to finance their dream. Daunted by the task of turning their dry, desolate property into a thriving farm, the couple receives nearly magical amounts of mentorship from the enigmatic York, who seems to have all the answers all the time about their vision for Apricot Lane Farms.

Based on York’s advice, the Chesters want everything from the microorganisms in the soil to the predators and prey on the land to be in harmony. That balance takes them and their team — which includes far more experienced foremen and a group of young adult volunteers — several years to accomplish. This is a wonderful, beautifully shot labor of love that should inspire viewers to commit to lives of purpose that serve the earth and others.  Rated: PG, 91 minutes.